A recent study has found a possible link between the introduction of smartphones and the decline in the US fertility rate. The study, conducted by Caitlin Myers, an economist with Middlebury College and the National Bureau of Economic Research, and her stepson, Ezekiel Hooper, found that the fertility rate fell significantly more in counties where more than 90% of residents had early smartphone access.
Methodology
The researchers tracked the spread of AT&T mobile broadband, which was initially the only network the iPhone was available on, and compared the change in fertility rate between 2007 and 2011 with the share of the population living with access to the network. They found that the birth rate among 15- to 19-year-olds fell about 26% in counties with broad smartphone access, compared with a 14% drop in counties with limited access.
The study’s findings suggest that the early diffusion of the iPhone may have caused between a third and a half of the decline in the general US fertility rate between 2007 and 2011. However, other experts have expressed skepticism about the study’s conclusions, citing the complexity of the issue and the need for further research.
Expert Reactions
Dr. Alison Gemmill, an associate professor of epidemiology at the UCLA School of Public Health, noted that the timeframe studied predates the widespread adoption of many smartphone features, such as social media and dating apps. Dr. Sarah Hayford, director of the Institute for Population Research and professor of sociology at The Ohio State University, pointed out that the decline in fertility rates began decades before the introduction of the iPhone.
The study’s authors acknowledge that smartphones are not the only factor contributing to the decline in fertility rates, but argue that they may be a significant one. As Caitlin Myers noted, ‘We’re not saying this is the only factor. We’re saying it’s a major factor.’ The study’s findings have implications for policymakers seeking to understand the causes of declining fertility rates and develop effective solutions.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
