How Family Wealth Affects Fertility Intentions: the Roles of Social Media Exposure and Subjective Class Identification

Abstract

Demographic dividend is an important driving force for sustainable economic development in developing countries. In recent years, the Chinese government has introduced a series of policies to encourage fertility, but the fertility rate still continues to decrease, which is likely to have a negative impact on China’s economic development. This study proposes a influencing mechanism model of the fertility intentions of the Chinese population from the perspectives of political economics and social psychology, and validates the model through a national sample survey. It is found that family wealth indirectly and positively affects fertility intentions through Chinese people’s subjective class identification; and social media exposure negatively moderates the relationship between family wealth and subjective class identification. This mechanism provides a theoretical explanation for the current special changes in fertility intentions to a certain extent, and also provides a practical basis for policy makers and media regulators to take measures to stimulate Chinese people’s fertility intentions.