Module 8: Population Composition

This set of flashcards covers key concepts related to population composition, including age structure, dependency ratios, generational cohorts, and sex ratios.

Age Structure

The breakdown of a population into different age groups or cohorts, often described using percentages.

Dependency Ratio

The number of dependents (young and elderly) in a population that each 100 working-age people must support.

Generational Cohorts

Groups of people born around the same time who share common traits due to cultural and societal influences.

Baby Boomers

Individuals born between 1946 and 1964, during the post-World War II rise in birth rates.

Generation X

A cohort of individuals born from 1965 to 1980, characterized by greater acceptance of diversity.

Millennials

People born between 1981 and 1996, known for being the largest and most diverse generation in the U.S.

Generation Z

Individuals born between 1997 and 2012, recognized as digital natives with progressive views.

Sex Ratio

The numerical ratio of males to females in a population.

Population Pyramid

A graphic illustration that depicts age and sex structure in a population.

Androcentrism

A cultural preference for males that can lead to gender imbalances.

Youth Dependency Ratio

The number of dependents aged 0 to 14 per 100 working-age individuals.

Elderly Dependency Ratio

The number of dependents aged 65 and older per 100 working-age individuals.

Cohort

A statistical category of people who share a common characteristic, often based on the same time period of birth.

Double Dependency

A situation in which a population experiences both high youth and high elderly dependency ratios.

High Elderly Dependency

A demographic structure where there is a low youth dependency ratio but a high elderly dependency ratio.

Unbalanced Sex Ratios

A demographic situation where the number of males significantly exceeds the number of females, or vice versa.

Cultural Preference for Males

The societal tendency to value male children over female children, often leading to demographic imbalances.

Gender-Selective Migration

Migration patterns that favor one gender over another, often leading to imbalanced population structures.

Population Stability

A state where the birth rate and death rate are roughly equivalent, leading to slow population growth.

Population Decline

A situation characterized by a low birth rate resulting in reducing overall population numbers.