Scientific Presentations

LabTalks@­SocialDemography

Department Social Demography
Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR), Rostock, Germany, May 20, 2025

1:00 PM: Talk with Philipp Dierker - Partnership transitions and changes in fertility intentions

Abstract

This study examines how fertility intentions change as individuals transition between relationship stages. Prior research compared fertility intentions across statuses but has not analyzed within-person changes across transitions. Using data from the German Family Panel (waves 2008–2022), fixed effects models estimate annual changes in fertility intentions up to two years before and after partnership transitions, accounting for time-invariant characteristics. Subsample analyses explore variation by gender and relationship stability. Preliminary results show that entering a dating relationship from singlehood is associated with a significant rise in fertility intentions, but this effect diminishes over time. In contrast, transitioning from dating to cohabitation leads to a sustained increase in fertility intentions, supporting the idea that cohabitation represents a more concrete step toward family formation. Further analyses reveal that the rise in fertility intentions upon dating entry is stronger among individuals who eventually cohabit, compared to those whose relationships dissolve within four years. Selection effects are also observed: individuals forming stable dating relationships already report higher fertility intentions before entering relationships compared to those who later separate.

1:45 PM: Talk with Katarzyna Doniec - tba

Abstract

tba

LabTalk, May, 20th from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Rostock time)