Stabilizing World Population 175of culture. Different societies have different gender ex-
pectations (Figure 7.15). With respect to fertility and
culture, a couple is expected to have the number of chil-
dren traditional in their society.
High TFRs are traditional in many cultures. The
motivations for having many babies vary from culture
to culture, but a major reason for high TFRs is that in-
fant and child mortality rates are high. For a society to
endure, it must produce enough children who can sur-
vive to reproductive age. If infant and child mortality rates
are high, TFRs must be high to compensate. Although
world infant and child mortality rates are decreasing, it
will take longer for culturally embedded fertility levels to
decline. Parents must have confidence that the children
they already have will survive before they stop having
additional babies. Another reason for the lag in fertilityincrease in human population. It is unlikely that death
rates will increase substantially in the foreseeable future.
Consequently, global human population will not stabilize
unless birth rates drop. Cultural traditions, women’s so-
cial and economic status, family planning, and govern-
ment policies all influence total fertility rate (TFR).Culture and Fertility
The values and norms of a society—what is considered
right and important and what is expected of a per-
son—are all a part of that society’s culture. A society’s
culture, which includes its language, beliefs, and spiri-
tuality, exerts a powerful influence over individuals by
controlling behavior. Gender—that is, varying roles men
and women are expected to fill—is an important part6>ÀÞ}ÊÀiÃÊvÊiÊ>`ÊÜiÊUÊ}ÕÀiÊÇ°£xÊ
b. In sub-Saharan Africa, women do most of the agricultural work in
addition to caring for their children. Photographed in South Africa.a. In parts of Latin America, men do the agricultural work. This
Argentinian man is harvesting grapes.Pablo Corral Vega/NG Image Collection James P. Blair/NG Image Collection