An Age–Period–Cohort Approach to disentangling generational differences in family values and religious beliefs: Understanding the modern Australian family today

BACKGROUND Over the last decades, Australian families have undergone profound changes including less marriages, more divorces, and an increase double-income families, resulting in a qualitative shift in terms of the understanding of family nowadays. OBJECTIVE This paper investigates whether generational differences in family values and religious beliefs are at the core of the changes in the family structure. METHODS Using the Australian Household, Income and Labour Dynamics (HILDA) Survey, we apply the Age–Period–Cohort Detrended (APCD) methodology to investigate generational differences in family values and religious beliefs. RESULTS Results show that changes in family values and religious beliefs are overwhelmingly generational. Cohorts born in 1946–1964 (Baby Boomers) have significantly contributed to the revolutionary change in attitudes towards family behaviours. CONCLUSIONS The Baby Boom generation has played a crucial role in supporting liberal views towards marriage, children, gender roles, and religious beliefs. In comparison to older and younger cohorts, they formed the largest one who matured in a period of rapid economic prosperity, and significant social changes. These unique experiences during their formative years influenced their attitudes toward family values and religious beliefs contributing to the qualitative shift in the understanding of family. CONTRIBUTION Differences between cohorts are important elements for the understanding of social change. The APCD models used can detect birth cohort non-linearities pertaining specifically to the cohort variable that cannot be explained by the simple combination of age and period more generally used. Thereafter, we search for appropriate explanations for these cohort fluctuations with contextual elements of cohort specific socialization and life conditions.

VERA-TOSCANO Maria Esperanza;  MERONI Elena Claudia; 

2021-08-31

MAX PLANCK INST DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH

JRC123793

1435-9871 (online),   

https://www.demographic-research.org/Volumes/Vol45/20/,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC123793,   

10.4054/DemRes.2021.45.20 (online),