Social Context and Fertility-Related Attitudes: A Pilot Study Using Ecological Momentary Assessment

Emily Marshall , Franklin & Marshall College
Hana Shepherd, Rutgers University

To better understand variation in attitudes toward fertility and family, we conduct a pilot study using a mobile phone application designed to measure variation in attitudes over time and by physical location. As people move through various physical and social environments as part of their everyday lives (e.g., school, work, home), they are exposed to various cues, or primes, that may prompt them to make different associations that can affect their attitudes on topics relevant to fertility, such as education and romantic relationships. We test the extent and nature of this variation in attitudes in a pilot study of 25 respondents. Respondents use a mobile phone application that sends them short surveys about their attitudes and social interactions 3 to 5 times a day for two weeks.

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 Presented in Session 1. Fertility, Family Planning, Sexual Behavior, & Reproductive Health 1