| Abstract: | An attempt to test empirically the general proposition that fear of death is related to certain attitudes about fertility, particularly expected number of children. Analysis of data collected from 355 undergraduates at a midwestern U.S. university showed this proposition to be generally supported and dependent, in part, on respondents' sex. Those who are more fearful of death tend to perceive procreation as a means for others to reduce fear of death, and also tend to expect having a greater number of children than those whose fear is less. Although the interrelationships of the variables appears somewhat complex, they provide an empirical reference for further research linking mortality to fertility. |
