Family Economic Status and Unauthorized Fertility Behaviors in China: The Moderating Role of Contextual Factors

Yongai Jin, Renmin University of China
Yue Qian, Ohio State University
Wei Chen, Renmin University of China

This paper analyzes data from 2005 China 1% Population Inter-census Survey to examine provincial differentials in the relationships between family economic status and women's unauthorized births. This study contributes to the existing literature by investigating how micro-level factors interact with macro-level circumstances to shape fertility outcomes at the individual level. In light of the importance of social context in shaping individual behavior, this study uses a hierarchical generalized linear model (HGLM) to examine how the effect of household income on the likelihood of having unauthorized births varies across province. We find that in provinces with high percentages of women in the agricultural workforce, household income is negatively associated with odds of having unauthorized births, whereas in provinces with low percentages of women employed in the agricultural sector, household income is positively associated with having unauthorized births. This study sheds light on the complex mechanisms linking social context and individual behavior.