Social Demography

Flashcards for vocabulary review.

Demography

The scientific study of population, covering size, structure, geographic distribution, growth, decline, and the consequences of population dynamics.

Crude Marriage Rate (CMR)

The relative frequency of marriages within a population in a specific period, calculated by dividing the number of marriages in a year by the average population that year.

Total First Marriage Rate

The probability of first marriage for a person assuming they experience the age-specific marriage rates of a given year.

Mean Age Female First Marriage Rate

Summarizes age-specific marriage rates by addition from fertility or first marriage tables for a given observation year.

Nuptiality

The frequencies of marriages in a population.

Tempo Component

Shifts in the timing of events over the life course of individuals.

Quantum Component

Shifts in the number of individuals experiencing events.

Crude Divorce Rate

The relative frequency of divorces within a population in a specific period, calculated by dividing the number of divorces in a year by the average population that year.

Fertility

The actual reproductive performance of a population.

Fecundity

The physiological capability to reproduce.

Crude Birth Rate (CBR)

The relative frequency of births within a population in a specific period, calculated by dividing the number of births in a year by the average population that year.

Mean Age at Childbearing

Mean age of mothers for births observed in the year considered.

Epidemiologic Transition

Major shift in causes of death due to changes in disease, from infectious to degenerative diseases.

Rectangularization of the Survival Function

The differences in survival probabilities across age groups become less pronounced, leading to a more uniform distribution of deaths across the lifespan.

Crude Death Rate (CDR)

The relative frequency of deaths within a population in a specific period, calculated by dividing the number of deaths in a year by the average population that year.

Population Ageing

Decline in birth rates and increasing life expectancy leading to changes in the age structure.

Natural Growth

The excess of births over deaths.

Net Migration

The excess of immigrants over emigrants.

Household Production Model

Market goods and time combined for production of commodities.

Theory of Second Demographic Transition

A diverse set of demographic changes closely entwined: large-scale change in value orientations in Western Societies.

Generations & Gender Programme (GGP)

An international research infrastructure that aims to improve understanding of generational and gender relationships in the context of changing demographic, social, and economic structures.

Generations & Gender Surveys (GGS)

Comprehensive research tools designed to collect harmonized data on family dynamics, fertility, partnership, and intergenerational relationships across different countries.

Contextual Database (CDB)

A contextual database provides additional information and background context related to survey data, helping to interpret and analyse the data in a broader socio-economic and cultural context

Balancing Equation

Populations change due to a limited, countable number of events.

Multistate Representation

Basic demographic equation can be represented by 4 states: 1. Alive, and in the population 2. Alive, but not in the population 3. Not born yet 4. Dead

Lexis Charts

A graphical representation to visualize age-period-cohort effects on demographic events, such as births, deaths, or migrations

Period

Events occurring during the same period to persons of various ages

Age

Events occurring to persons whose age was in the same age-group as the time of the occurrence

Cohort

Events occurring to persons belonging to the same cohort. Ex. Born in same period of time, graduated in same period of time

Risks

The probability of event occurrence depends on the level of risk that individuals are exposed to

Rates

Measure the speed or tempo at which demographic processes occur over time

Probabilities

Indicates how many events will happen in case of a specific risk and time exposed to the risk

Discrete-time rate

Measures the average speed at which events occur in the interval considered = an approximation of the average continuous-time rate in the interval

Principles of correspondence

Ensure that events in the numerator correspond with the exposed risk of the denominator

Risk Set

The number of individuals still at risk of experiencing the event. The risk set diminishes over time

Decremental Process

Experiencing the event removes the individual from the risk set (ex. Mortality )

Non-decremental Process

Individuals remain at risk after experiencing the event (ex. Fertility)

Pure State

Individuals only disappear from the risk set as a result of experiencing the event under study (ex. Mortality)

Conditional Probability of Dying

The ratio of number of death occurring in an interval to the number of individuals initially at risk at the start of the interval

Censoring

In practice individuals disappear from the risk set not only as a result of the decremental process under study, but also as a result of disturbing events = presence of disturbances

Single Decremental Life Table

Analysis of transition between two states, measuring age-specific probabilities of dying in a given year or period.

Hypothetical Cohort

A theoretical group of individuals who share a common characteristic or experience and are followed over a specified period to study a particular phenomenon or outcome

Life Expectancy

The average number of years a person will live from birth = accumulated years of living divided by the number of people living at the beginning of interval

Full Life Table

All quantities are tabulated by single years of age: very large and often more detailed then necessary

Abridged Life Tables

Use broader age-groups

Multi Decrement Life-Table

Risk set of stock in initial state diminishes as a result of transitions to several destination states

Population Heterogeneity

Refers to the variability or diversity within a population in terms of characteristics, behaviors, or outcomes

Age Patterns

Show how the tempo of a demographic process varies with the age of individuals

Partial Decomposition of demographic equation

Number of births, deaths, … occurring in a population is the combined result of 1. The age-specific fertility and age-sex-specific mortality rates (change in rates) 2. The population at risk of experiencing these events (change in population composition) 3. Or both

Direct Standardization

Eliminates the impact of confounding factors by applying the observed specific rates of the different populations being compared to a standard population structure

Indirect Standardization

Involves calculating an expected number of events by applying a standard schedule to the observed population structure of the different populations being compared

Time-constant Characteritics

Characteristics that are constant over the life-course (e.g. country of origin)

Time-varying Characteristics

Characteristics that are time-varying over the life-course (e.g. age, household composition)

Continuous-time models

Typically model h(t) or H(t)

Discrete-time functions

Typically model q(t, t + ∆t) or p(t, t + ∆t)

Formal Demography

Relationship between demographic variables. Only population variables are used to explain variations in other population variables

Population Projection

Procedures that use demographic data about a population to make projections about the size and characteristics of that population at some future time

Component Method

Components of population change are considered explicitly by applying age-specific schedules of fertility, migration and mortality to observed population age-sex structures

Dynamic Microsimulation Models

Take into account a larger number of factors that affect population dynamics than aggregate projection models

Population Studies

Introduces non-demographic factors as independent variable in relation to demographic factors

Population studies, type 1

Investigate effect of non-demographic variables (independent variables) on demographic variables (dependent variables)

Population studies, type 2

Investigates effect of demographic variables (independent variables) on non-demographic variables

Biological variables

Genetic, physiological, and anatomic characteristics of humans, as well as the illnesses and diseases that affect the human body. Affect fertility and mortality

Economic variables

Several key variables studied by economists have been shown to affect demographic variables

Geographic variables

Explain both the geographic distribution of population at any one time of changes that take place through migration

Political variables

Governmental and political actions often have significant effect on demographic events in realm of fertility, migration and mortality

Sociological variables

Structure of social systems: pattern of relationships among people that persists over tome

Social-psychological variables

Attitudes and orientations of individuals toward wide range of significant social issues and objects are likely to influence (demographic) behaviour

Family demography

Composition and size of household and families

Pronatalist policy

Disapproval of celibacy, support to marriage and childbearing, legislation stimulation marriage and birth rates

Triangulation

Use different methods for consistent results

The principle of population

Natural imbalance between potential for population growth and increase in subsistence.

Positive checks

Factors increasing mortality: wars, famine, malnutrition, disease (lower class)

Preventive checks

Factors that control fertility and limit population growth: moral restraint = postponement of marriage until financially secure, contraception not acceptable (middle and upper class)

Constant population size

Crude birth and death rates are at the same level

Population growth

Birth rate exceeds death rate

Demographic transition theory

Group A, B and C countries are viewed as representative stages in a continuous process.

Epidemiological transition

Shifts in disease patterns. The process in which mortality decreased considerably and major shifts occurred in the cause of death

Age of pestilence and famine

Mortality is high and fluctuating (life expectancy 20-40 years): infectious diseases, famines, maternity complications and wars major determinants of death and or population growth

Age of receding pandemics

Epidemic peaks become less frequent and finally disappear: average life expectancy increases to about 50 years; population growth turns exponential

Age of degenerative and man-made diseases

Mortality is stable and low with life expectancies exceeding 50 years; fertility becomes the crucial factor in population growth

3 conditions for fertility decline

1. Ready: fertility reduction must seem advantageous to couples 2. Willing: prevailing values, customs, and norms must allow calculus of conscious choice and fertility reduction 3. Able: means to limit fertility must be available

Fertility indices

Compare observed number of births, marital births, and unmarital births to number of expected births (given the age structure) under a maximum age specific fertility schedule

Hutterite women

Have the maximum number of children (no contraception, no abortion)

Pillarization

A societal organization where all aspects of life are organized within a series of parallel ethical and political fractions

Experimental sciences

Use data produced by experiments conducted under conditions that are closely controlled/manipulated by scientists

Observational science

Data are obtained by observing and recording events

Canvasser method

Data collection by representative of census taking agency. Canvasser visits each residence, asks questions, records answers

Self-emuneration method

Questionnaire delivered by postal service. Questionnaire returned by post or picked up by census employee

Enumeration census

Census not based on register aimed at counting population

Register based census

Census based on population register

Prospective design

Census or survey combined with prospective register follow-up in individuals and households

Retrospective design

Census or survey including retrospective questions or combined with register data on descent

Panel design

Initial sample that is followed longitudinally with top-up samples to preserve cross-sectional representativeness of the panel

Mixed design

Combination of prospective and retrospective features

Population composition

The structure and characteristics of a population

Social rates

Consumer demand, health care, school enrolment, pensions. Affect demographic processes

Sex ratio

Number of males in population per 100 females. Equals to 100 when equal shares of males and females

Young population

Has proportionally more young people than people of older ages

Old population

Has proportionally more old people than people of younger ages