Biodemography and Social Biology 

About: Biodemography and Social Biology is an academic journal published by Taylor & Francis. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Population & Fertility. It has an ISSN identifier of 1948-5565. Over the lifetime, 1251 publications have been published receiving 24026 citations. The journal is also known as: Social Biology & Eugenics Quarterly.

Some data on natural fertility.

Abstract: Data on the natural fertility (complete absence of birth control) of 13 populations are examined with the study restricted to legitimate birthrates and those of unmarried women in a stable union. Very different fertility levels were found among these populations despite a similar pattern of fertility as it varies from 1 age group to another. Where the fertility rates for European populations are greater than for the non-European differences can be attributed to variation in birth spacing. It is hypothesized that differences in fertility level are either the result of variations in behavior related to resumption of sexual relations and the duration of lactation or to the differences of a physiological nature related to frequency and duration of anovulation during lactation.

The heritability of life history strategy: The k‐factor, covitality, and personality

Abstract: Archival data from the MIDUS survey (Brim et al, 2000), a nationally representative sample, on 309 MZ and 333 DZ twin pairs aged 25-74 years were used to test the psychometrics and behavioral genetics of life history strategy We organized 253 of the originally administered 2,000 questions into 30 scales measuring life history traits (eg, quality of family relationships and altruism towards kin), medical symptoms (eg, thyroid problems), personality traits (eg, neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness), and social background (eg, financial security) A single higher-order factor, indicating a general life history strategy, composed of three lower-order factors, was replicated Factor analyses were then performed on the genetic variance-covariance matrices We found that (a) a single higher-order factor explained the preponderance of the genetic correlations among the scales and (b) this higher-order factor was itself 68 percent heritable and accounted for 82 percent of the genetic variance among the three component lower-order factors

Determinants of the sex ratio at birth: review of recent literature.

Abstract: This paper reviews recent literature on the determinants of the sex ratio at birth. The first part provides an overview of the major findings on the biological determinants, and their implications on the racial differentials and the wartime increases in the sex ratio at birth. The second part discusses the sociodemographic factors of the sex ratio at birth (age of parents, birth order, and socioeconomic status). About thirty studies based on samples of millions of births drawn from national vital registration statistics in various countries are reviewed and compared. The results indicate that birth order and paternal age appear to be negatively correlated with the sex ratio at birth. Parents of higher socioeconomic status may be more likely to bear sons than parents of lower socioeconomic status. Some possible causal mechanisms are suggested for the effects of the sociodemographic factors.

Assortative mating with respect to physical characteristics.

Abstract: (1968). Assortative mating with respect to physical characteristics. Eugenics Quarterly: Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 128-140.