The present study
diabetes, ARF
ARF, DIABETES
The primary aim of the present study was to examine the effects of providing fertility information and objective fertility policy information on university students’ family formation and career expectations. A total of 1,000 university students were randomly assigned to one of three treatment arms receiving information on age-related fertility (ARF group), fertility policies (FP group), or diabetes (control group). It was hypothesized that the provision of age-related fertility information would lead to forward adjustments in marriage and fertility plans (e.g., younger ideal ages at marriage and first childbirth and increased likelihood of undergoing social egg freezing), but lower educational and career expectations (e.g., lower chances of completing an advanced degree and lower future income). It was also hypothesized that the fertility policy information would increase the ideal number of children by lowering the perceived cost of having children and, at the same time, increase the expected likelihood of egg-freezing by highlighting the IVF subsidies. On the other hand, it was hypothesized that fertility policy information would have ambiguous effects on the expected timing of marriage and fertility (for example, information on IVF subsidies could induce individuals to postpone marriage and childbearing, whereas information on pro-natalist policies could incentivize early marriage and childbearing).