Seung-Yun Oh (Korea Insurance Research Institute)
Abstract. Since 1990s a new pattern of positive correlation between fertility rates and female labor force participation emerged among developed countries. This recent trend is inconsistent with conventional economic approaches that explain fertility decline as a result of the increasing opportunity costs of childrearing, predicting a negative correlation between fertility and women's labor force participation. To address the puzzle, I develop a model of the evolution of gender norms and fertility. . In the model, randomly matched spouses make choices related to fertility regarding women's labor supply and the division of household labor. Individuals’ choices are influenced by gender norms of a society. The model shows how changes in economic environments and the degree of conformism toward gender norms can alter fertility outcomes.