Abstract
Many important family decisions, such as when to have offspring, essentially manifest different life history strategies, ranging from slow to fast ones. The current research examined how one critical societal factor, social mobility (i.e., the shift of socioeconomic status in a society), may contribute to such slow (vs. fast) life history strategies. With four multi-method studies, including archival data at the national level, a large-sample survey (N = 6787), and experimental studies (N = 497), we found that a high level of social mobility predicted and resulted in delayed reproduction. Specifically, a high level of social mobility, indexed by both objective reality and subjective perception, predicted individuals’ positive future expectations. This further leads them to focus on long-term goals and foster a slow life history strategy, i.e., preferring delayed reproduction. Theoretical implications are discussed.
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This research is supported by “The Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities” (Grant No. 310422147).
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by the first two authors. The first draft of the manuscript was written by the first two authors and all authors commented on the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Appendices
Appendix A: Social Mobility Manipulation (Study 2)
High (Low) Social Mobility Condition
Recent research shows that we live in a society that is becoming more and more flexible (inflexible) with regard to its social hierarchies. This means that if you hold a certain position in a social hierarchy (e.g., at work, in society), it is very much possible (very unlikely) for you to move up or down in that hierarchy.
In other words, the social environment we were born into won’t affect (will determine) our future life to a significant degree. One could say, the well-known notion of going “from rags to riches” is very much applicable to our society (is not applicable to our society anymore). At the same time, people who are rich now can quickly (are unlikely to) lose large parts of their wealth.
This is neither a strictly positive nor a strictly negative development. Flexible social hierarchies offer fairness and opportunities, while inflexible social hierarchies guarantee safety and stability.
Appendix B: 10 Items from the MINI-K Scale (Study 3)
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1.
I don’t give up until I solve my problems.
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2.
I often make plans in advance.
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3.
I avoid taking risks.
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4.
While growing up, I had a close and warm relationship with my biological mother and/or father.
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5.
I (will) have a close and warm relationship with my own children.
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6.
I would rather have one than several sexual relationships at a time.
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7.
I have to be closely attached to someone before I am comfortable having sex with them.
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8.
I am often in social contact with my blood relatives.
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9.
I am often in social contact with my friends.
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10.
I am closely connected to and involved in my community.
Appendix C: Social Mobility Manipulation (Study 4, The Original Material was in Chinese)
High (Low) Social Mobility Condition
Social class refers to divided social groups based on income, occupation, and status. Mobility between different social classes is an important social phenomenon. Recent research shows that we live in a society where social mobility is becoming increasingly flexible (difficult). This means that if a person occupies a certain position, such as the upper, middle, or lower classes, in a social hierarchy, he/she is more (less) likely to achieve upward or downward mobility within that hierarchy.
In fact, according to the latest statistics, every 10 years, 5 (0.1)% of people move between the lower class and the upper class, including those from the lower class to the upper class or from the upper class to the lower class. 20 (3)% move between the middle and the upper classes, including those from the middle class to the upper class or from the upper class to the middle class. 40 (5)% move between the middle and the lower classes, including those from the lower class to the middle class or from the middle class to the lower class.
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Wang, X., Wang, X. & Chen, Z. High Social Mobility Leads to Delayed Reproduction. Arch Sex Behav 52, 1365–1377 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02551-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02551-4