The Cost of a Child: A Bayesian Model of the Fertility Decision of Women in Academia

Authors

Christine Hagan, The College of WoosterFollow

Abstract

As women have become an increasing percentage of the labor force many studies have been conducted to examine the effects of women’s labor force participation on fertility rates. The decisions each woman makes regarding children is said to be, in part, based on the opportunity costs associated with having a child. Each woman experiences unique opportunity costs which are continuously changing throughout her career. Using a previously created model and data collected from female faculty members at various institutions throughout the United States, this study will explore the fertility decisions made by women in academia.

Advisor

Wooster, Robert

Department

Mathematics

Recommended Citation

Hagan, Christine, "The Cost of a Child: A Bayesian Model of the Fertility Decision of Women in Academia" (2015). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 6659.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/6659

Disciplines

Other Applied Mathematics

Publication Date

2015

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis