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Modeling reproductive decisions with simple heuristics

Author

Listed:
  • Peter Todd

    (Indiana University)

  • Thomas Hills

    (University of Warwick)

  • Andrew Hendrickson

    (Indiana University)

Abstract

Background: Many of the reproductive decisions that humans make happen without much planning or forethought, arising instead through the use of simple choice rules or heuristics that involve relatively little information and processing. Nonetheless, these heuristic-guided decisions are typically beneficial, owing to humans’ ecological rationality - the evolved fit between our constrained decision mechanisms and the adaptive problems we face. Objective: This paper reviews research on the ecological rationality of human decision making in the domain of reproduction, showing how fertility-related decisions are commonly made using various simple heuristics matched to the structure of the environment in which they are applied, rather than being made with information-hungry mechanisms based on optimization or rational economic choice. Methods: First, heuristics for sequential mate search are covered; these heuristics determine when to stop the process of mate search by deciding that a good-enough mate who is also mutually interested has been found, using a process of aspiration-level setting and assessing. These models are tested via computer simulation and comparison to demographic age-at-first-marriage data. Next, a heuristic process of feature-based mate comparison and choice is discussed, in which mate choices are determined by a simple process of feature-matching with relaxing standards over time. Parental investment heuristics used to divide resources among offspring are summarized. Finally, methods for testing the use of such mate choice heuristics in a specific population over time are then described.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Todd & Thomas Hills & Andrew Hendrickson, 2013. "Modeling reproductive decisions with simple heuristics," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 29(24), pages 641-662.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:29:y:2013:i:24
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2013.29.24
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thomas Hills & Peter Todd, 2008. "Population Heterogeneity and Individual Differences in an Assortative Agent-Based Marriage and Divorce Model (MADAM) Using Search with Relaxing Expectations," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 11(4), pages 1-5.
    2. Peter Todd & Francesco Billari & Jorge Simão, 2005. "Aggregate age-at-marriage patterns from individual mate-search heuristics," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 42(3), pages 559-574, August.
    3. Fortenberry, J.D. & Tu, W. & Harezlak, J. & Katz, B.P. & Orr, D.P., 2002. "Condom use as a function of time in new and established adolescent sexual relationships," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 92(2), pages 211-213.
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    Cited by:

    1. Johannes Huinink & Martin Kohli, 2014. "A life-course approach to fertility," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 30(45), pages 1293-1326.
    2. Fulda, Barbara, 2016. "Immer weniger Kinder? Soziale Milieus und regionale Geburtenraten in Deutschland," Schriften aus dem Max-Planck-Institut für Gesellschaftsforschung Köln, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, volume 87, number 87.
    3. André Grow & Jan Van Bavel, 2020. "The Gender Cliff in the Relative Contribution to the Household Income: Insights from Modelling Marriage Markets in 27 European Countries," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 36(4), pages 711-733, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    parental investment; mate choice; heuristics; ecological rationality; mate search; age at first marriage;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

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

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