TY - JOUR

T1 - Learning from others and receiving support

T2 - The impact of personal networks on fertility intentions in Poland

AU - Bühler, Christoph

AU - Fratczak, Ewa

N1 - Funding Information: 2. The survey was supported by The State Committee for Scientific Research (KBN), Grant No. 1 H02F 00419, the Narodowy Bank Polski, Credit Bank.SA w Warszawie, Bank ·/ PKO BP. SA, ING Nationale Nederlanden Polska, and Powszechny Fundusz Emerytalny. See Fratczak and Peczkowski (2002) for more detailed information about the survey.

PY - 2007/7

Y1 - 2007/7

N2 - Research about fertility has focused in the main on studying separately the influence of communication networks and social capital on reproductive behavior, but it has rarely tried to integrate both network properties theoretically or analytically. We therefore discuss a general model of purposeful behavior that perceives individuals' subjective perceptions of the utilities of different courses of action to be affected by structures of interpersonal influence. Resources needed to realize desired goals are furthermore shaped by exchange relationships that build social capital. These considerations are empirically applied to explanations of the intentions of 758 Polish men and women ever to have a first, second, or third child. Personal networks are especially relevant for the considerations to have a first or second child. The intentions of childless respondents are positively influenced by network partners who are at a similar stage of their reproductive biographies or who have already taken the step of having a first child. However, respondents with one child have a higher probability of intending to have a second child the more they have access to fertility-related social capital.

AB - Research about fertility has focused in the main on studying separately the influence of communication networks and social capital on reproductive behavior, but it has rarely tried to integrate both network properties theoretically or analytically. We therefore discuss a general model of purposeful behavior that perceives individuals' subjective perceptions of the utilities of different courses of action to be affected by structures of interpersonal influence. Resources needed to realize desired goals are furthermore shaped by exchange relationships that build social capital. These considerations are empirically applied to explanations of the intentions of 758 Polish men and women ever to have a first, second, or third child. Personal networks are especially relevant for the considerations to have a first or second child. The intentions of childless respondents are positively influenced by network partners who are at a similar stage of their reproductive biographies or who have already taken the step of having a first child. However, respondents with one child have a higher probability of intending to have a second child the more they have access to fertility-related social capital.

KW - Behavioral intentions

KW - Fertility

KW - Interpersonal influence

KW - Poland

KW - Rational choice

KW - Social capital

KW - social networks

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34547108845&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/14616690701314101

DO - 10.1080/14616690701314101

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:34547108845

VL - 9

SP - 359

EP - 382

JO - European Societies

JF - European Societies

SN - 1461-6696

IS - 3

ER -