Name: Vallerie G.

Terante Subject: Science 201 – Environmental Science

Course: MAT – Science Professor: Doc. Nucleilee T. Marino
TOPIC: Human Populations
Definition of Population
➢ A population is any complete group with at least one characteristic in common.
Populations are not just people.
➢ Populations may consist of, but are not limited to, people, animals, businesses,
buildings, motor vehicles, farms, objects or events.
• Perspectives on Population Growth
o It seems so obvious: Larger, more rapidly growing populations have fewer natural
resources per person, less physical capital per worker, more dependents, and
greater needs for new social infrastructure. Of course, they must be economically
worse off. These intuitions shaped the earlier studies of population and economic
development such as the seminal Coale and Hoover model (1958). Later studies
developed more neoclassical versions of these ideas, all showing that more rapid
population growth led to lower per capita income.
o But Nobel Prize economist Kuznets (1956), as well as Boserup (1965, 1981) and
Simon (1981) suggested many possible positive effects of population growth,
including economies of scale, acceleration of technological progress, flexible
market responses to emerging shortages, induced institutional change, cheaper
communication and transportation, and easier collective social investments.
Kuznets examined per capita income growth and population growth rates across
nations and found no correlation, which seemed inconsistent with the Coale-
Hoover view. His study was replicated by many others.
o Similar controversies arose for family level effects of high fertility. It seemed
obvious that more children would mean lower per capita family income, less labor
supplied by women, and less parental investment in the human capital of each
child. But again, parents might work harder if they had more children, older
children could care for younger, freeing their mother’s time, and more child labor
might free later born siblings to go to school. Furthermore, it was questioned
whether family planning programs had an effect on fertility in any case.
o The controversy prompted several evaluations of the evidence in the 1980s,
including a 1986 report from the US National Academy of Sciences. The panel
was co-chaired by D. Gale Johnson and Ron Lee (myself), with Sam Preston
playing a leading role. This report concluded that there was only a modest or null
impact of population growth on the pace of economic development, while
suggesting that family planning programs would raise family well-being by
helping couples achieve their fertility goals. However, the macroeconomic
benefits were unsubstantiated. Other reports reached similar conclusions (World
Bank 1984; Kelley 1988). These reports reduced the interest of governments and
 foundations in family planning programs, and set the stage for the Cairo
Conference deliberations.
Population growth is a topic that evokes a range of perspectives, influenced by factors such as
economic, social, environmental, and political considerations. Here are some key perspectives
on population growth:
Economic Perspective:
o Positive: A growing population can stimulate economic growth through increased
consumption, labor force expansion, and innovation driven by larger markets.
o Negative: Rapid population growth can strain resources, lead to unemployment, and
create challenges in providing adequate infrastructure and social services.
Social Perspective:
o Positive: Larger populations can contribute to cultural diversity, vibrant communities,
and provide a demographic dividend when a large proportion of the population is of
working age.
o Negative: Overpopulation can lead to overcrowding, competition for resources, and
strain social cohesion, particularly in urban areas.
Environmental Perspective:
o Positive: Some argue that population growth encourages technological
advancements and efficiencies that can mitigate environmental impact per capita.
o Negative: Rapid population growth exacerbates environmental degradation,
resource depletion, and contributes to climate change through increased
consumption and waste generation.
Political Perspective:
o Positive: Governments may view population growth as a potential boost to national
power, productivity, and influence in global affairs.
o Negative: Political instability and governance challenges can arise from rapid
population growth, particularly in developing countries where resources are limited
and infrastructure is inadequate.
• Factors that Determine Population Growth
The major findings suggest that social factors such as education, child marriage, contraception
use, and religion have the strongest correlation to population growth. According to a study
entitled “Causes of Human Population Growth: A Quantitative Study” by Mohnnad Alshalalda
2020
o **Education**: The research indicates that educated couples tend to have fewer
children, emphasizing the influence of education on family planning and population
growth.
 o 2. **Child Marriage**: Countries with higher rates of child marriage tend to have higher
population growth, indicating a positive relationship between the two factors.
o 3. **Contraception Use**: Higher rates of contraception use are linked to lower
population growth, highlighting the impact of family planning methods on limiting
population growth.
o 4. **Religion**: The study suggests that countries with a higher percentage of people
finding comfort and strength in religion tend to have higher population growth, indicating
a positive correlation between religiosity and birth rates.
Population growth is influenced by a variety of factors, each playing a role in shaping
demographic trends. These factors can be broadly categorized into natural increase (births
and deaths) and social factors (migration). Here are the key factors that determine population
growth:
Birth Rate (Fertility Rate):
o The number of live births per 1,000 people in a population per year.
o Influenced by socio-economic factors, cultural norms, access to healthcare, and family
planning services.
o High birth rates contribute to population growth, while declining birth rates can lead to
population stabilization or decline.
Death Rate (Mortality Rate):
o The number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population per year.
o Affected by factors such as healthcare quality, sanitation, nutrition, prevalence of
diseases, and public health interventions.
o Lower death rates contribute to population growth, while higher death rates can slow or
reverse growth.
Migration:
o The movement of people into (immigration) or out of (emigration) a region or country.
o Influenced by economic opportunities, political stability, environmental conditions, and
social factors.
o Migration can either increase or decrease population size depending on whether more
people are moving in or leaving.
Age Structure:
o The distribution of individuals across different age groups in a population.
o Countries with a higher proportion of younger individuals (large youth cohort) typically
experience higher birth rates and population growth.
o Aging populations (higher proportion of elderly individuals) may experience lower birth
rates and slower growth rates.
Economic Development:
 o Economic factors such as GDP per capita, employment opportunities, and standard of
living can influence population growth.
o Higher economic development may lead to lower birth rates due to increased education,
access to contraception, and higher opportunity costs of having children.
Social and Cultural Factors:
o Cultural beliefs, attitudes towards family size, gender roles, and religious practices can
impact fertility rates.
o Social policies, such as family planning programs and incentives for larger families, also
play a role in shaping population growth.
Government Policies:
o Policies related to immigration, family planning, healthcare, education, and social
welfare can significantly influence population growth.
o For example, pro-natalist policies encourage higher birth rates through incentives, while
immigration policies can alter population dynamics through the influx of new residents.
• Fertility is Influence by Culture
The factors affecting fertility desires in the Philippines, as outlined in the journal article "Factors
Affecting Fertility Desires in the Philippines," by Clarissa C. David University of the Philippines
Diliman and Jenna Mae L. Atun Ateneo de Manila University 2014.
o 1. Fertility goals are influenced by a partner's desire for more children, leading to
adjustments in family size desires.
o 2. Demand for gender balance among offspring can result in a willingness to have more
children than originally desired.
o 3. Fertility goals tend to increase over time among women.
o 4. Gender balance preferences among couples influence fertility desires.
o 5. Men play an important role in fertility goals and contraceptive use, with men's desires
impacting total unmet need among women.
o 6. Age at which women start childbirth impacts fertility desires, with earlier childbirth
leading to a desire for larger families.
o 7. Marital negotiations often result in following the partner's desire for more children,
influencing fertility desires.
o 8. Desire for gender representativeness among offspring affects fertility goals.
References
Population. (n.d.). Australian Bureau of Statistics.
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/understanding-statistics/statistical-terms-and-
concepts/population#:~:text=Definition-,Definition,%2C%20farms%2C%20objects%20or%20ev
ents
https://u.demog.berkeley.edu/~rlee/oldceda/Publications/pdfs/rlee/UNFPANewPerspectives09.
pdf
https://www.methodist.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mr2020_alshalalda.pdf
https://journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/socialsciencediliman/article/download/4407/3999