Parental Models of Infancy: A Note on Gender Preferences for Firstborns

Abstract

In past research individuals and couples without children have consistently expressed a preference for a male firstborn. Recent social changes have generated some expectation for a shift toward more equality of preference. The present study confirms a continuing preference for male firstborns in a population of couples expecting a first child. There was an increase in the number of subjects who would not specify a preference. When subjects were also asked to state a belief about gender of the fetus, most expectant mothers, but not their husbands, believed they were carrying males. These results have implications for future research on gender preference and for predicting sex ratios at birth should methods of gender preselection become available.