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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Using a Comparative Species Approach to Investigate the Neurobiology of Paternal Responses

Using a Comparative Species Approach to Investigate the Neurobiology of Paternal Responses

Published on: September 19, 2011

Emotional Variation and Fertility Behavior.

William G Axinn¹, Dirgha J Ghimire², Emily Smith-Greenaway³

¹University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106-1248, USA. baxinn@umich.edu.

|February 10, 2017

Summary

The emotional bond between husbands and wives significantly influences decisions about limiting family size. Stronger emotional connections correlate with increased use of contraception to prevent births, even when economically irrational.

Keywords:

Contraceptive use Family change Fertility limitation Spousal emotions

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Area of Science:

Sociology
Demography
Family Studies

Background:

Fertility behaviors are often influenced by factors beyond economic rationality.
The role of emotional dynamics in reproductive decisions remains understudied.
Understanding these emotional influences is key to explaining childbearing choices.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of the husband-wife emotional bond on fertility control.
To test the hypothesis that emotional factors affect contraceptive use for birth limitation.
To provide empirical evidence for the influence of emotional connections on family planning.

Main Methods:

Utilized long-term, multilevel community and family panel data.
Employed setting-specific measures of the husband-wife emotional bond.
Conducted statistical analyses to associate emotional bond variance with contraceptive use.

Main Results:

A significant association was found between the husband-wife emotional bond and subsequent contraceptive use.
Variance in emotional bond levels predicted the use of contraception to avert births.
Emotional factors demonstrably influence fertility-limiting behaviors.

Conclusions:

The husband-wife emotional bond is a significant predictor of fertility control behaviors.
Emotional influences offer a compelling explanation for non-economically rational childbearing decisions.
These findings have wide-ranging implications for understanding family dynamics and population trends.