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The decline of son preference and rise of gender indifference in Taiwan since 1990

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  • Tin-chi Lin

    (Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety)

Abstract

This study explores the change of married women’s sex preference for children in Taiwan since 1990, finding that there was a substantial decline of son preference and rise of “gender indifference”, defined as feeling indifferent about children’s sex (as opposed to desiring an equal number of boys and girls, in which the sex of children is still a primary consideration). Results show that at the individual level female education was the strongest predictor for the preference; education was negatively associated with son preference and positively with gender indifference. Cohort difference was noticeable as well. Younger cohorts were better educated than older ones hence they were more neutral about the sex and less adherent to the traditional male preference. In addition from 1992 to 2002 there was a universal intra cohort movement toward gender neutrality and away from son preference. When the younger cohorts gradually replaced the older ones as the main child bearers in Taiwanese society, at the aggregate level son preference declined and gender indifference rose.

Suggested Citation

  • Tin-chi Lin, 2009. "The decline of son preference and rise of gender indifference in Taiwan since 1990," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 20(16), pages 377-402.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:20:y:2009:i:16
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2009.20.16
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shelley Clark, 2000. "Son preference and sex composition of children: Evidence from india," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 37(1), pages 95-108, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chi Zhou & Xiao Wang & Xu Zhou & Therese Hesketh, 2012. "Son preference and sex-selective abortion in China: informing policy options," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 57(3), pages 459-465, June.
    2. Wang Xiaolei & Li Lu & Zhou Xu Dong & Zhou Chi & Liu Wei & Zheng Wei Jun & Therese Hesketh, 2013. "Rising Women’s Status, Modernisation and Persisting Son Preference in China," Indian Journal of Gender Studies, Centre for Women's Development Studies, vol. 20(1), pages 85-109, February.
    3. Chen, Cheng & Chou, Shin-Yi & Gimenez, Lea & Liu, Jin-Tan, 2020. "The quantity of education and preference for sons: Evidence from Taiwan's compulsory education reform," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    4. Cheng Chen & Sabrina Terrizzi & Shin-Yi Chou & Hsien-Ming Lien, 2021. "The effect of sibship size on educational attainment of the first born: evidence from three decennial censuses of Taiwan," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(4), pages 2173-2204, October.
    5. Tin-chi Lin & Alícia Adserà, 2013. "Son Preference and Children’s Housework: The Case of India," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 32(4), pages 553-584, August.
    6. Valentine Becquet & Nicolás Sacco & Ignacio Pardo, 2022. "Disparities in Gender Preference and Fertility: Southeast Asia and Latin America in a Comparative Perspective," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(3), pages 1295-1323, June.
    7. Zhou Chi & Zhou Xu Dong & Wang Xiao Lei & Zheng Wei Jun & Li Lu & Therese Hesketh, 2013. "Changing Gender Preference in China Today: Implications for the Sex Ratio," Indian Journal of Gender Studies, Centre for Women's Development Studies, vol. 20(1), pages 51-68, February.
    8. Christophe Z. Guilmoto, 2009. "The Sex Ratio Transition in Asia," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 35(3), pages 519-549, September.
    9. Wanru Xiong, 2022. "Dynamics between Regional Sex Ratios at Birth and Sex Ratios at Prime Marriageable Ages in China," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 48(2), pages 545-578, June.
    10. Lee, Chioun & Glei, Dana A. & Weinstein, Maxine & Goldman, Noreen, 2014. "Death of a child and parental wellbeing in old age: Evidence from Taiwan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 166-173.
    11. McGarry, Kathleen & Sun, Xiaoting, 2018. "Three Generations of Changing Gender Patterns of Schooling in the People’s Republic of China," ADBI Working Papers 834, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    12. Grogan, Louise, 2013. "Household formation rules, fertility and female labour supply: Evidence from post-communist countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 1167-1183.
    13. Yu-Hua Chen & Chin-Chun Yi, 2021. "An Exploration of Individual, Familial, and Cultural Factors Associated with the Value of Children among Taiwanese Young Adults," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(2), pages 487-510, April.
    14. Qianqian Shang & Quanbao Jiang & Yongkun Yin, 2022. "How Does Children's Sex Affect Parental Sex Preference: Preference Adaptation and Learning," Working Papers wp2022_2202, CEMFI.
    15. Zhou, Xu Dong & Wang, Xiao Lei & Li, Lu & Hesketh, Therese, 2011. "The very high sex ratio in rural China: Impact on the psychosocial wellbeing of unmarried men," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(9), pages 1422-1427.
    16. Li-Chung Hu & Yi-Lin Chiang, 2021. "Having Children in a Time of Lowest-Low Fertility: Value of Children, Sex Preference and Fertility Desire among Taiwanese Young Adults," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(2), pages 537-554, April.
    17. Yi Zeng & Linda George & Melanie Sereny & Danan Gu & James W. Vaupel, 2015. "Older parents enjoy better filial piety and care from daughters than sons in China," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2015-012, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    18. Kao-Lee Liaw & Lin Ji-Ping & Chien-Chia Liu, 2011. "Reproductive contributions of Taiwan´s foreign wives from the top five source countries," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 24(26), pages 633-670.
    19. Stuart Basten & Georgia Verropoulou, 2015. "A Re-Interpretation of the ‘Two-child Norm’ in Post-Transitional Demographic Systems: Fertility Intentions in Taiwan," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(8), pages 1-16, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    education; Taiwan; son preference; gender indifference;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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