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Sociology - Population and Urbanization

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Study GuideSociology–Population and Urbanization1. Population and Demographic VariablesFor most of human history, people preferred large families. This was mainly about survival. Highdeath rates from disease, war, and dangerous livingconditions meant that having many childrenincreased the chances that some would survive and carry on the family line.Things changed dramatically in the 20th century. Advances in medicine, technology, and sanitationreduced death rates around the world. As a result, the global population began to grow very quickly—a trend often called thepopulation explosion. Today, the world’s population increases by about90million people every year, with most of this growth occurring in poorer countries. Because of thisrapid growth, sociologists and demographers are deeply concerned about the future effects onresources, living conditions, and the environment.1.1 What Is Demography?Demographycomes from a Greek word meaning “description of people.” It is the scientific study ofhuman populations. Demographers focus on:•Thesizeof populations•Thecompositionof populations (such as age and gender)•Themovementof people from one place to anotherThey also study how populations grow, shrink, or staystable—and what societies do to managepopulation change.Several key demographic variables are especially important:

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Study Guide•Fertility and fecundity•Mortality and life expectancy•Migration1.2 Fertility and FecundityOne of the biggest influences on population size isfertility. Fertility refers to theaverage number ofchildren a woman actually hasduring her reproductive years, from puberty to menopause.Fertility is often confused withfecundity, but the two are different.•Fecunditymeans thenumber of children a woman is biologically capable of having.•Factors such as health, income, access to healthcare, and personal choices strongly affectwhether that biological potential is reached.1.3 Measuring FertilityTo measure fertility at the national level, demographers calculate thecrude birth rate. This is:•The number of live births per year•For every 1,000 people in the populationIt is calculated by dividing the number of births in a year by the total population and multiplying by1,000. These figures usually come from government records, which may be incomplete orinaccurate—especially in developing countries where record-keepingsystems may be weak ornonexistent.

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Study Guide1.4 Fertility Around the World•Theworld’s average fertility rateis about3 children per woman.•Thehighest fertility ratesare found inAfrica, at nearly6 children per woman.•Thelowest fertility ratesoccur inEurope, at about1.5 children per woman.•In theUnited States, the fertility rate is around2 children per woman.Interestingly, while women may be biologically capable of having many children, theaveragefecundity rate worldwide is about 20 children per woman, showing how social and economicfactors limit actual fertility.1.5 Mortality and Life ExpectancyPopulation size is also affected bymortality, which refers to the number of deaths in a population.1.6 Crude Death RateDemographers measure mortality using thecrude death rate, which is:•The number of deaths per year•For every 1,000 people in the populationThis is calculated in the same way as the crude birth rate. In the United States, the crude death rateusually stays around8 or 9 deaths per 1,000 people.1.7 Infant Mortality RateAnother important measure is theinfant mortality rate, which looks at:

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Study Guide•The number of deaths of infants under age one•For every 1,000 live births in a yearInfant mortality rates in North America are relatively low compared to many other regions. However,differences still exist within societies. For example:•African Americans have an infant mortality rate of about19•Whites have a rate of about81.8 Life ExpectancyLower infant mortality is linked to higherlife expectancy, which is theaverage length of lifeforpeople in a society.•In the United States, people born today can expect to live into their70s.•This is about20 years longerthan life expectancy in many low-income countries.1.9 MigrationAnother factor that affects population size ismigration, or the movement of people from one place toanother.Migration can be:•Involuntary, such as when enslaved people were forcibly brought to the Americas•Voluntary, such as families moving from cities to suburbs

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Study Guide1.10 Types of Migration•Immigration: movingintoa country or region○Measured by theimmigration rate(number of people entering per 1,000 residents)•Emigration: movingout ofa country or region○Measured by theemigration rate•Internal migration: movementwithina country’s borders1.11 Population GrowthPopulation growth depends onfertility, mortality, and migration.•Poorer countries usually grow because ofhigh birth rates, often due to limited access tocontraception.•Richer countries grow through a combination ofnatural increase and immigration.Demographers calculate a population’snatural growth rateby subtracting the crude death rate fromthe crude birth rate.•Low-growth countriestend to be industrialized (such as the U.S. and Europe).•High-growth countriesare often less industrialized (such as those in Africa and LatinAmerica).1.12 Population CompositionDemographers are also interested inwho makes up a population, not just how big it is.One important measure is thegender ratio (or sex ratio), which is:
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Document Details

University
Texas A&M University
Course
Sociology
Subject
Sociology

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