Detecting month and year of birth effects on reproduction and marriage patterns in two long-term data sets

Martin Fieder (Corresponding author), Susanne Huber

Publications: Contribution to journalArticlePeer Reviewed

Abstract

This study examines the effects of birth month on reproduction and mating behavior using historical and contemporary census data from 1820 to 1970. The research examines the effect of birth month on the number of children for women and their male spouses, finding a monthly cycle for both men and women. In addition, the study examines whether birth month influences whether a person has ever been married. In support of previous research, we find clear birth month effects on the number of children for both women and their spouses, while the time series of ever being married shows a 60-month and a 10-year cycle, the latter possibly related to the solar cycle. Although the effects are small, both results, based on a large and representative dataset, indicate the importance of early life factors on mating and reproduction.
Original languageEnglish
Article number106073
Number of pages6
JournalEarly Human Development
Volume195
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2024

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

  • 106018 Human biology

Keywords

  • Mating
  • Reproduction
  • Year of birth
  • Early life
  • Season of birth

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