Preference theory

The preference theory by Catherine Hakim ( born 1948 ) is a technology developed in the 1990s theory that claims, among other things, to explain declining birth rates.

Basic assumptions and results

The starting point for their theory looks Hakim in five economic and social processes founded, which would have greatly expanded the choices of women since the 1960s. These developments opened for women new, unrestricted choice, with Hakim men presupposes a homogeneous, concentrated on the profession: the introduction of the contraceptive pill, the production of equal access for women in the labor market, the expansion of collar occupations, the introduction / expansion of part-time work and the increasing importance of personal attitudes, values and preferences in terms of lifestyles in affluent modern societies.

As a result, two representative population studies in the UK and Spain, three female preferences could be distinguished:

The first group put their priority on family and household (home -centered ). Their share amounts to about 20 percent on average.

Lifestyles and birth rates

According to Hakim, the different preferences of women also have an impact on the birth rate. A British population study from 1999 showed that the average number of still living at home children aged under 16 years

In family-centered women was 1.28 children
In women, the family combined with the profession, was 1.02 children
In women who preferred the to the profession oriented toward the model, 0.61 children, respectively.

A follow-up study, in which Hakim's theory was investigated using data from eleven countries, found in a variety of countries, a relationship between the preferences of women and the number of existing children. In contrast, no relationship between preferred lifestyles and intend births was found. In another follow-up study no relationship between preferences and births could be detected in the Czech Republic.

From their results concluded Hakim, that the heterogeneity of preferences also put different demands on the policy. This should, if they wanted to increase the birth rate, those groups have placed more attention and support, the family budget präferiere, as these get the most children. However, since the adaptive type still was increasing, Hakim sees as a solution to the problems a "home care allowance", a monetary donation, which can be used as a reward for the rearing of children at home or for childcare.

Hakim sees the fact that women are under-represented in certain professions, mainly due to the fact that about half of men compared with about 30 % of women turn their focus to the profession.

Reception in politics

Around the year 2000, the then Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, attention to Hakim Präferentheorie. In the following years had their theory that was mentioned, for example, in the interim report of a government commission on maternity leave, also influence the policy of the Australian government in terms of birth rates.

Criticism

A central point of criticism is the adopted by Hakim causal relationship between preferences and behavior: According to Hakim preferences cause actions. Critics, however, point to research that seeks to demonstrate that preferences are conditioned by the circumstances and the conduct of the person and not the other way around. It could therefore be that motherhood a particular preference ( such as strengthened child and family orientation) effecting and not, as claimed by Hakim, would only cause of this preference.

McRae complained that Hakim situational and structural conditions that influence and restrict the choices of women, do not take into account. In addition, Hakim ignore the fact that preferences are subjected in the course of life a series of changes. According Dooreward et al. (2004) and Tomlinson (2006 ) hang the decisions of women in terms of family and work by many contextual factors and not (only) of preferences from. Accordingly, the financial circumstances and family obligations of women, their work, and education, the availability of child day care and the social policy of the country act decisively on their family-and job-related actions.

Other critics argue that, contrary to Hakim's acceptance not only three "types" of women would be that directed their lives along each one of three preferences.

They also criticized Hakim's basic assumption of men as a homogeneous group. Thus, a meta-study of the Humboldt University of Berlin, among others a group identified that they referred to as " new fathers ". That does not mean to live in a complete Rolllenumkehr and " home " to be, but to strive for a gender egalitarian partnership. This included also in dialogue with the partner to leave her the possibility of their preferences and to accept the responsibility for household and child-rearing.

Primary literature

Catherine Hakim, Work - Lifestyle Choices in the 21st Century: Preference Theory ( Oxford University Press, 2000). With a Preface by Anthony Giddens. ISBN 0-19-924210-0
Catherine Hakim: A New Approach to Explaining Fertility Patterns: Preference Theory, in: Population and Development rewiew 29 (3 ), pp. 349-374.