Is it a “baby‐bloom” or “baby‐gloom” decade?How does having children vary in relation to attitudes toward life, social,political and environment development in two Asia countries?

UNT Spring 2010ANTH 5014Instructor:

Dr. Doug Henry

Quantitative Researchby Jeff Wan Chung Sing

•Similar size of U.S.

•Established of PRC1949, w/ long history

•2009 Pop. = 1.3 billion

•Agriculture workers: 49%of Pop.

•1/3 of New Jersey

•Independence 1946,w/ short history

•2009 Pop. = 3.7 million

•Service Industry: 67.3%of Pop.

Demographically…

CHINA SINGAPORE

CHINA• To maintain low birth rate (pressure from population growth): Vice Premier• One –Child Policy, introduced in 1978 until 2015

Goal:Explore affects on have/don’t have decision Explore possibilities  for development, both social and commercial

SINGAPORE•Only 32,630 new‐born babies, 2009•Promotes immigration as birth rate drops: Prime Minister, 2006

What’s going on?

Baby FACTS

11.4%

33.5%34%

51.6%

10.6%17.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Don't h

ave 

children

1 children

2 children

3 children

4 children

5 children

6 children

7 children

8 or m

ore 

children

ChinaSingapore

CHINA SINGAPOREN=99011.4% 88.6% N=150051.6% 48.4%

“ To have or not to have children?”

Modern Life Development 

Environmental Development

Attitude towards:Life, Social Relationship, Politics and  Development

Hypothesis

ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIFE… Satisfied?Baby Factor p<.05

SatisfiedDissatisfied1 10

mean=5.9

SatisfiedDissatisfied1 10

mean=6.6

mean=7

mean=7.4

5

5

CHINA

SINGAPORE

ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIFE…

WorkLeisure1 5

mean=4

CHINA

1 5

SINGAPORE

mean=4.2

mean=3.2

mean=3.5

Leisure or Work?Baby Factor p<.05

WorkLeisure

3

3

ATTITUDE TOWARDSSOCIAL RELATIONSHIP & POLITICS…

Trust each others?Baby Factor p<.05

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

45.0% 45.3%

Not trusting others

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%83.2% 87.6%

Not trusting others

CHINA SINGAPORE

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%76.6%

69.9%

Interested in Politics

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

36.9%37.8%

Interested in Politics

CHINA SINGAPORE

ATTITUDE TOWARDSSOCIAL RELATIONSHIP & POLITICS…

Interested in Politics?Baby Factor p<.05

Scientific Advance?Baby Factor

ATTITUDE TOWARDSENVIRONMENT & DEVELOPMENT…

p<.05

CHINA SINGAPORE

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

58.7%

82.6%

Will help

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

39.1% 41.2%

Will help

ATTITUDE TOWARDSENVIRONMENT & DEVELOPMENT…

$    Environment?Baby Factor p<.05

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%89.5%

81.3%

Agree

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

71.4%

54.4%

Agree

CHINA SINGAPORE

Findings:

•Less satisfied w/ life•Think more work•Less distrust in society•More interested politics•More think science helps•More will give $ forenvironment

•More satisfied w/ life•Think more leisure•Higher distrust in society•Less interested politics•Less think science helps•More will give $ forenvironment

CHINA SINGAPORE

Have different attitude of having kids and… 

Could modernization leads to dehumanization and effecting birth rate? Will the attitude of having children improves sustainable development?

Next…

Will look into:•Factors effect couples’ satisfaction,•What is work and leisure to them, in details•Why would they give/not give $ toenvironment; on what categories, for what

•Their aspiration of the futureBefore and after couples have children…

The End &Thank you…