Page 91 - IJPS-11-3

International Journal of
Population Studies Low fertility intentions in China

sample may not represent the entire population, the candid By demonstrating how these values may supersede the
and diverse perspectives captured on Weibo offer valuable traditionally dominant influences of socioeconomic and
insights and serve as a foundation for future research on educational factors, this research offers fresh insights into
this important topic. Third, this study relies solely on the role of individualism in family planning and introduces
qualitative data from Weibo and may raise triangulation a novel framework for understanding fertility intentions in
issues. We recognize that triangulating these findings rapidly urbanizing societies.
with additional sources (such as quantitative surveys or In addition, this study categorizes unmet financial and
in-depth interviews) would offer a broader perspective psychological preconditions as critical barriers to family
and further validate the findings. However, this study is expansion. By addressing how subjective perceptions
exploratory research and aims to capture candid and real- interact with objective constraints, the research provides a
time expressions of fertility intentions from the Weibo nuanced contribution to the discourse on fertility barriers,
population. Therefore, we propose that future research enhancing our understanding of the challenges faced by
could incorporate mixed methods to enhance the depth families considering additional children.
and generalizability of the results. Fourth, the interpretation
of the content may not be completely in line with the true The findings underscore the urgent need for family
meaning of the respondent. It relies only on the authors’ planning policies that align with evolving lifestyle values
interpretation when coding these threads, which can while fostering a supportive environment for family
sometimes be subjective, inconsistent, or inaccurate. Fin growth. Comprehensive measures, including flexible
ally, the study did not capture potential gender differences, work arrangements, affordable childcare, and housing
which could have revealed gender-specific factors affecting support, are essential. Furthermore, policymakers must
the decision to have a second child. address societal pressures and prioritize the psychological
well-being of parents to balance personal autonomy with
5. Conclusion family aspirations. Such policies can effectively promote
sustainable population growth while respecting individual
This study makes three significant contributions to the goals and accommodating the shifting values of modern
existing literature on fertility intentions in China, namely: Chinese society.
(1) clarifying inconsistent findings on fertility intentions;
(2) advancing the understanding of lifestyle values as Acknowledgments
drivers of fertility decisions; and (3) integrating social
media data for qualitative fertility research. None.
In response to the dearth of studies utilizing qualitative Funding
approaches with social media data, this research leverages
online discussions to explore fertility intentions. Social None.
media provides a unique avenue for capturing candid Conflict of interest
and uninhibited expressions of personal choices and
values, less constrained by societal norms than those The authors declare they have no competing interests.
derived from traditional, physical-world populations. This Author contributions
methodological innovation broadens the scope of research
subjects and enhances the literature of fertility research. Conceptualization: Haoran Chen, Harn Shian Boo
Coombs et al.’s (2024) study, which examined public Data curation: Haoran Chen
perspectives on drug use among the homeless population Formal analysis: Haoran Chen, Kuang Yee Teng
through TA of Twitter data, exemplifies the potential of Investigation: Haoran Chen
social media data to uncover nuanced public attitudes. Methodology: Haoran Chen, Kuang Yee Teng
Moreover, while prior research has acknowledged Supervision: Harn Shian Boo
the role of lifestyle decisions as mediators between Writing – original draft: Haoran Chen, Kuang Yee Teng
Writing – review & editing: All authors
socioeconomic or educational factors and fertility
intentions, this study foregrounds lifestyle values as primary Ethics approval and consent to participate
influences on fertility choices. The research challenges
conventional perspectives by emphasizing the growing Not applicable.
importance of individualism and lifestyle values – such as
the pursuit of personal freedom, career advancement, and Consent for publication
self-fulfillment – as key drivers of low fertility intentions. Not applicable.

Volume 11 Issue 3 (2025) 85 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.5124