Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-tn8tq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-21T00:27:04.016Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Intention versus behaviour in parental sex preferences among the Mukogodo of Kenya

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Lee Cronk
Lee Cronk
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas, USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The relationship between parents' stated sex preferences for children and actual parental behaviour towards sons and daughters is examined among the Mukogodo, a group of traditional pastoralists in rural Kenya. Although their cultural values are male-centred and they tend to express a preference for sons, Mukogodo parents actually appear to be more solicitous of daughters, and the Mukogodo have a strongly female-biased childhood sex ratio. Studies of stated sex preferences should therefore be coupled with attempts to assess actual parental investment in sons and daughters.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 23 , Issue 2 , April 1991 , pp. 229 - 240
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ahmed, N. R. (1981) Family size and sex preferences among women in rural Bangladesh. Stud. Fam. Plan. 12, 100.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Amin, R. & Mariam, A. G. (1987) Son preference in Bangladesh: an emerging barrier to fertility regulation. J. biosoc. Sci. 19, 221.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Arnold, F. C. (1985) Measuring the effect of sex preference on fertility: the case of Korea. Demography, 22, 280.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Arnold, F. C. & Kuo, E. C. Y. (1984) The value of daughters and sons: a comparative study of the gender preferences of parents. J. comp. fam. Stud. 15, 299.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arnold, F. & Zhaoxiang, L. (1986) Sex preference, fertility, and family planning in China. Popul. Dev. Rev. 12, 221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bairagi, R. (1986). Food crisis, nutrition, and female children in rural Bangladesh. Popul. Dev. Rev. 12, 307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bairagi, R. & Langsten, R. L. (1986) Sex preference for children and its implications for fertility in rural Bangladesh. Stud. Fam. Plan. 17, 302.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Basu, A. M. (1989) Is discrimination in food really necessary for explaining sex differentials in childhood mortality? Popul. Stud. 43, 193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bennett, N. G. (1983) Sex selection of children: an overview. In: Sex Selection of Children. Edited by Bennett, N. G.. Academic Press, New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ben-Porath, Y. & Welch, F. (1976) Do sex preferences really matter? Q. J. Econ. 90, 285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Central Bureau of Statistics (1981) 1979 Population Census. Vol. 2, Analytical report. Ministry of Finance and Planning, Nairobi.Google Scholar
Chen, L. C., Huq, E. & D'Souza, S. (1981) Sex bias in the family allocation of food and health care in rural Bangladesh. Popul. Dev. Rev. 7, 55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Choe, M. K. (1987) Sex differentials in infant and child mortality in Korea. Social Biol. 34, 12.Google ScholarPubMed
Cleland, J., Verrall, J. & Vaessen, M. (1983) Preferences for the Sex of Children and their Influence on Reproductive Behaviour. WFS Comparative Studies No. 27. International Statistical Institute, Voorburg, Netherlands.Google Scholar
Coombs, L. C. (1979) Prospective fertility and underlying preferences: a longitudinal study in Taiwan. Popul. Stud. 33, 447.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cronk, L. (1989a). From hunters to herders: subsistence change as a reproductive strategy among the Mukogodo. Curr. Anthrop. 30, 224.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cronk, L. (1989b) Low socioeconomic status and female-biased parental investment: the Mukogodo example. Am. Anthrop. 91, 414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cronk, L. (1989c) The Behavioral Ecology of Change Among the Mukogodo of Kenya. PhD thesis, Northwestern University.Google Scholar
Cronk, L. (1990) Comment on ‘Explaining biased sex ratios in human populations: a critique of recent studies’ by Daniela Sieff. Curr. Anthrop. 31, 35.Google Scholar
Das, N. (1987) Sex preference and fertility behavior: a study of recent Indian data. Demography, 24, 517.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Das Gupta, M. (1973) Selective discrimination against female children in rural Punjab, India. Popul. Dev. Rev. 13, 77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Tray, D. (1984) Son preference in Pakistan: an analysis of intentions vs. behavior. Res. Popul. Econ. 5, 185.Google ScholarPubMed
D'Souza, S. & Chen, L. C. (1980) Sex differentials in mortality in rural Bangladesh. Popul. Dev. Rev. 6, 257.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, R. A. (1930) The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection. Clarendon Press, Oxford.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foreit, K. G. & Suh, M. H. (1980) The effect of reproductive intentions on subsequent fertility among low-parity Korean women, 1971–76. Stud. Fam. Plan. 11, 91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Freedman, R., Hermalin, A. I. & Chang, M. C. (1975) Do statements about desired family size predict fertility? The case of Taiwan, 1967–70. Demography, 12, 407.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gadalla, S., McCarthy, J. & Campbell, O. (1985) How the number of living sons influences contraceptive use in Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Stud. Fam. Plan. 16, 164.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Heine, B. (1974) Notes on the Yaaku language (Kenya). Afrika und Ubersee, 58, 27.Google Scholar
Jacobs, A. (1973) The pastoral Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania. In: Cultural Source Materials for Population Planning in East Africa, Vol. 3, Beliefs and Practices. Edited by Molnos, A.. East African Publishing House, Nairobi.Google Scholar
Karki, Y. B. (1988) Sex preference and the value of sons and daughters in Nepal. Stud. Fam. Plan. 19, 169.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Khan, M. A. & Sirageldin, I. (1977) Son preference and the demand for additional children in Pakistan. Demography, 14, 481.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kobrin, F. E. & Potter, R. G. (1983) Sex selection through amniocentesis and selective abortion. In: Sex Selection of Children. Edited by Bennett, N. G.. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Levine, N. E. (1987) Differential child care in three Tibetan communities: beyond son preference. Popul. Dev. Rev. 13, 281.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Llewellyn-Davies, M. (1981) Women, warriors, and patriarchs. In: Sexual Meanings: The Cultural Construction of Gender and Sexuality. Edited by Ortner, S. B. & Whitehead, H.. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
May, D. & Heer, D. (1968) Son survivorship, motivation, and family size in India: a computer simulation. Popul. Stud. 22, 199.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McClelland, G. H. (1979) Determining the impact of sex preferences on fertility: a consideration of parity progression ratio, dominance, and stopping rule measures. Demography, 16, 377.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McClelland, G. H.(1983) Measuring sex preferences and their effects on fertility. In: Sex Selection of Children. Edited by Bennett, N. G.. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Nair, N. K. & Chow, L. P. (1980) Fertility intentions and behavior: some findings from Taiwan. Stud. Fam. Plan. 11, 255.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Oyeka, I. C. A. (1989) Influence of the number of living sons on contraceptive use among female teachers in Nigeria. Stud. Fam. Plan. 20, 170.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Park, C. B. (1983) Preference for sons, family size, and sex ratio: an empirical study in Korea. Demography, 20, 333.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Repetto, R. (1972) Son preference and fertility behavior in developing countries. Stud. Fam. Plan. 3, 70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sheps, M. E. (1963) Effects on family size and sex ratio of preferences regarding the sex of children. Popul. Stud. 17, 66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sieff, D. (1990) Explaining biased sex ratios in human populations: a critique of recent studies. Curr. Anthrop. 31, 25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spencer, P. (1965) The Samburu. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trivers, R. (1972) Parental investment and sexual selection. In: Sexual Selection and the Descent of Man. Edited by Campbell, B.. Aldine, Chicago.Google Scholar
Trivers, R. & Willard, D. (1973) Natural selection of parental ability to vary the sex ratio of offspring. Science, N.Y. 179, 90.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Westoff, C. F. & Rindfuss, R. R. (1974) Sex preselection in the United States: some implications. Science, N. Y. 184, 633.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Westoff, C. F. & Ryder, N. B. (1977) The predictive validity of reproductive intentions. Demography, 14, 431.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Williamson, N. E. (1976) Sons or Daughters: A Cross-Cultural Survey of Parental Preferences. Sage, Beverly Hills.Google Scholar
Williamson, N. E. (1983) Parental sex preferences and sex selection. In: Sex Selection of Children. Edited by Bennett, N. G.. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar