IT TAKES 2 TO TANGO, DOESNT IT - THE INFLUENCE OF COUPLE CHARACTERISTICS ON THE TIMING OF THE BIRTH OF THE FIRST CHILD

Empirical research on factors influencing fertility behavior usually f ocuses on characteristics of women only, In this study, the timing of the first childbirth is studied using information about characteristic s of both partners. The context specificity of the determinants of chi ldbearing is examined by comparing couples with and without cohabitati on experience. The sociocultural specificity is studied using data fro m the Netherlands and Flanders, Results from hazard models based on a representative sample of young couples (N = 1,438) show, in general, t hat in Flanders' a sphere-of-interest rule of decision making and in t he Netherlands an egalitarian rule are at play in the decision on the timing of the first birth among couples. Contextual differences show t hat more specific theories on factors influencing the family formation process are needed.