Title
Detecting month and year of birth effects on reproduction and marriage patterns in two long-term data sets
Abstract
This study examines the effects of birth month on reproduction and mating behavior using historical and contemporary census data from 1820 to 1970. The research examines the effect of birth month on the number of children for women and their male spouses, finding a monthly cycle for both men and women. In addition, the study examines whether birth month influences whether a person has ever been married. In support of previous research, we find clear birth month effects on the number of children for both women and their spouses, while the time series of ever being married shows a 60-month and a 10-year cycle, the latter possibly related to the solar cycle. Although the effects are small, both results, based on a large and representative dataset, indicate the importance of early life factors on mating and reproduction.
Keywords
Year of birthSeason of birthMatingReproductionEarly life
Object type
Language
English [eng]
Persistent identifier
https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:2114258
Appeared in
Title
Early Human Development
Volume
195
ISSN
0378-3782
Issued
2024
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Date issued
2024
Access rights
Rights statement
© 2024 The Authors
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