This study examines the effect of the Chinese Family Planning Policy on fertility behavior. People's fertility values will also be considered. The significance lies in its potential for policy modifications. The essence of the policy--the provision of incentives and disincentives--can be expanded in Third-World countries with appropriate modification. The study consists of two levels: the examination of aggregate date from 1982 China Census and the conduct of a two-stage stratified cross-sectional random survey. In the first-level analysis, four regression models will be used to assess the joint as well as the individual impacts of socio-demographic and policy variables on fertility. In the second-level study, random sampling method will be used to select the study samples--200 households from 8 villages (2 representative villages from each of the 4 selected provinces in China). Interviews will be conducted with the selected heads of households. The major variables include demographic information about the respondent and his/her family, family planning information and the respondents' fertility value. Four models are proposed to measure 1) the precise impact of the family planning policy and the socioeconomic factors on fertility; and 2) the relationship between fertility value and behavior and the impact of the family planning policy of fertility value. Recommendations will be made to modify certain elements of the policy to better suit people's fertility value.
