The evolved psychological mechanisms of fertility motivation: hunting for causation in a sea of correlation.

ABSTRACT: Cultural, ecological, familial and physiological factors consistently influence fertility behaviours, however, the proximate psychological mechanisms underlying fertility decisions in humans are poorly understood. Understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying human fertility may illuminate the final processes by which some of these known predictors have their influence. To date, research into the psychological mechanisms underlying fertility has been fragmented. Aspects of reproductive psychology have been examined by researchers in a range of fields, but the findings have not been systematically integrated in one review. We provide such a review, examining current theories and research on psychological mechanisms of fertility. We examine the methods and populations used in the res

SUBMITTER: McAllister LS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4822431 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature