Spread of individualization and the problem of childbearing reduction: a study in the city of Rasht

Demographic transition with orientation towards "below replacement level fertility" has become the dominant feature of Iran's population. It seems that the economic, social and cultural conditions and also the attitude of people have a dominant role in this process. This transition started earlier in Guilan province and studies show that this province has the lowest fertility in the country. So the purpose of this paper is to describe and explain the sharp decline of fertility in the city of Rasht using the theoretical framework of the individualization of Giddens and Beck and Beck-Gernsheim and also the second demographic transition theory . The study was a survey which was conducted using a questionnaire technique and multi-stage cluster sampling method on a sample of 400 individuals. The results showed that the indicators of individualization are effective in reducing fertility. Multiple regression analysis showed that variables such as female education, the initial acquaintance of couples, mate selection pattern and employment of women have a crucial role in explaining the dependent variable. These findings illustrate that the changes in social attitudes and values and the spread of individualistic values in various aspects have played a significant role in reducing the number of children in the family.