Under Cover: Sex Drive and Parenthood

Natalie Nitsche , Australian National University
Judith C. Koops, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI)-KNAW/University Of Groningen

Sexual activity is key to human reproduction, and sexuality is a core element of (romantic) partnerships. Yet, the sexuality theme and its linkages to fertility and family dynamics are utterly under-researched in family-demography, likely due to a lack of both theoretical perspectives and suitable data. Our study sets out to address this research gap, conceptually and empirically. Leaning on Helen Fisher’s (1998) concept on ‘lust’ and human reproduction, we theorize that humans may possess a latent ‘sex drive’ function, which systematically underlies their family formation trajectory via shaping human fertility desires, union formation trajectories, and sexual and reproductive behaviours. Next, we empirically test some of our hypotheses with data from the German Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics (pairfam). Specifically, we will use measures on the timing of sexual debut and sexual-self perceptions to estimate latent ‘sex drive’ classes, and will then test whether latent ‘sex drive’ membership predicts the time to first parenthood over the life course.

See extended abstract

 Presented in Session 84. Flash session Life Course