Main trends of research in the social and human ... - unesdoc - Unesco

382 Jean Bourgeois-Pichat
86. For the demographer, a fundamental choice is that of the marriage partner,
which has obvious genetic, economic and social repercussions. There is some-
thing that he finds difficult to describe owing to the fact that he is dealing with
two distinct population entities - marriageable men and women among whom
motives of attraction and repulsion exist which will decide the composition of
the couples, with many other variables added, such as composition according
to age, social group, religion, colour, etc. Is it possible to measure suchmotives
of attraction and repulsion? That is a matter for sociological research.
87. There is another field in which sociology can assist the demographer - that
of the relations between the generations. In most of the industrialized countries,
the birth-rate went up after the second world war. Children born from I 945
onwards have been brought up in a relatively large family circle. They are now
reaching the age for having children of their own. It is quite possible that their
attitude towards fertility will take the form of a reaction against their own home
environment. Hence we can imagine alternate sequences of greater or lesser
fertility between generations. However attractive this idea may be, it remains
simply a conception of the mind until its truth has been established. But if this
reactive behaviour is true, it will not be restricted to fertility: it will be found in
the majority of attitudes which go to make up social life. If sociology can
demonstrate this, then the demographer will know that the explanation he gives
must be included within a wider frame of reference altogether. He will like-
wise know that his idea can be elaborated on and arrange his findings in con-
sequence.
88. The behaviour of an individual in a particular situation is often contradic-
tory depending on which aspect is being considered. Demographic events are
naturally subject to such contradictions. One person will insist, for example,
that society must do everything in its power to save the life of a sick man, but
will consider the health-insurance contribution to be much too expensive.
Another wil dream about receiving a good pension on retirement, but will at
the same time insist that families should be reduced in size, forgetting that those
children which society does not have are going to make their absence felt when
it comes to producing what is necessary to supply his retirement needs. We
could think of any number of such examples. Are these contradictions so much
as recognized by the individuals concerned? And if so, are they regarded as
embarrassing for the general purpose of everyday life ? These are questions which
sociology can answer and the reply given will be of importance to the demogra-
pher, for instance, in the research he conducts into ways of influencing demo-
graphic development.
89. But sociology has also its standards of judgement to bring to the cause of
demography, and more particularly in the use that is made of social stratifica-
tion. In fact, all the demographer’s investigations are stratified and, as a rule,
according to the social characteristics of the persons interrogated.
Conversely, however, demographic forms of behaviour differ according to