Singaporeans prefer having just one child, rather than none: Research
The Straits Times|March 10, 2024
Surprising shift away from two-child norm could dent efforts to raise birth rate
Theresa Tan
Singaporeans prefer having just one child, rather than none: Research

A new study has found that Singaporeans prefer having one child to not having any.

However, they do not prefer having two or more children over just one child - if other areas of family life they value are not fulfilled, said Professor Jean Yeung, the study's principal investigator for Singapore, which was one of eight countries involved in the study.

More than 22,000 people in eight countries were polled online about their family ideals in an era of unprecedented fertility decline in developed countries.

The countries are Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Italy, Spain, Norway, the United States and urban China, which refers to Chinese cities. Some 3,500 people in Singapore, including both married people and singles, were interviewed from December 2021 to February 2022.

Singaporeans' preference for one child is similar to how respondents across the other seven countries felt, said Prof Yeung, the director of social sciences at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences.

This preference is surprising, as past research has shown that there is a two-child norm in Singapore, she said. Her co-principal investigator in Singapore is Dr Senhu Wang, an assistant professor in the National University of Singapore (NUS) sociology department. Ten researchers from various countries were involved in the study.

Esta historia es de la edición March 10, 2024 de The Straits Times.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición March 10, 2024 de The Straits Times.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE THE STRAITS TIMESVer todo
The Straits Times

Something has changed inside North Korea

Troops to Russia, signs of an imminent nuclear test and death sentences for K-pop.

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 01, 2024
Fighting in the gutter: Cautionary lessons from America's vicious election campaign
The Straits Times

Fighting in the gutter: Cautionary lessons from America's vicious election campaign

There is a price to be paid for decades of ever-coarser negative campaigning in the US.

time-read
7 minutos  |
November 01, 2024
ITE students stand to gain from tie-up with financial institutions
The Straits Times

ITE students stand to gain from tie-up with financial institutions

Over 50 students on internship scheme; more partnerships set to be explored

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 01, 2024
The Straits Times

Ringgit set for worst month in nine years amid US election jitters

MANILA - Malaysia's currency is on course for its worst month in more than nine years as investors scale back on risk assets amid concerns over the US election.

time-read
1 min  |
November 01, 2024
The Straits Times

Aussie watchdog sues Singtel-owned Optus over alleged sales misconduct

Australia's competition watchdog is taking Singtel-owned Optus to court, alleging it engaged in misconduct while selling mobile phones and plans, particularly to vulnerable customers.

time-read
1 min  |
November 01, 2024
The Straits Times

China carmakers told to halt investment in EU nations backing EV tariffs

China has told its carmakers to halt big investment in European countries that support extra tariffs on Chinese-built electric vehicles (EVs), two people briefed about the matter said, a move likely to further divide Europe.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 01, 2024
DHL, Salesforce among 50 lauded as top workplaces here
The Straits Times

DHL, Salesforce among 50 lauded as top workplaces here

Need for trust among workers and leaders a key lesson from surveys over past 10 years

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 01, 2024
The Straits Times

BYD sales eclipse Tesla's for first time as EV giants face off

HONG KONG - BYD notched up another win over Tesla, reporting quarterly revenue beating that of Mr. Elon Musk's carmaker for the first time since the pair went head-to-head in global electric vehicle (EV) sales.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 01, 2024
The Straits Times

Vanke posts $1.5b loss in Q3 as China's property crisis persists

China Vanke posted another massive loss in the third quarter, underscoring the pressure on the property developer as it tries to pay off debt amid the country's prolonged housing slump.

time-read
1 min  |
November 01, 2024
S. Korea's chip production falls for first time in over a year
The Straits Times

S. Korea's chip production falls for first time in over a year

South Korea's semiconductor production fell from a year earlier for the first time in more than a year, in another sign that a boom cycle fueled by artificial intelligence (AI) development worldwide may be starting to cool.

time-read
1 min  |
November 01, 2024