Why Do Men Want to Become Parents?

Abstract

Evolutionary, cultural, and psychological factors work alone and together to motivate adults to become parents. Conception, rooted as it is in human biology, was rendered more susceptible to influence by psychological dispositions once it could be controlled by contraception and terminated by abortion. How do these psychological factors operate on childbearing? From one theoretical perspective (Miller, 1994) that draws on a theory of reasoned action, motives for wanting children and attitudes toward children and parenthood become transformed into decisions and intentions about childbearing, which then lead to behaviors that promote fertility. The personality traits of nurturance, affiliation, and autonomy are strong predictors of the motivation to have children (Miller, 1995), as are life-cycle experiences (Miller, 1992). Level of educational attainment often is found to have a negative association with childbearing motivations and fertility.