Investigating the Role of Socio-Cultural Factors Effective in Reducing Fertility

The process of modernization has transformed all areas of social life including family. Reduction of fertility is a change the is rooted in family's transformations, and can create many challenges for the Iranian community in the social, cultural, economic, political and security areas. Hence, knowing the socio-cultural reasons for the emergence of this phenomenon is indispensable. On the other hand, knowing the factors affecting the reduction of fertility requires studying family changes, because fertility occurs in the family. Using a descriptive and explanatory method and aided by the secondary analysis of available statistics and the explanation of the most important socio-cultural causes of this phenomenon, this paper has reached a more complete understanding of the causes of this phenomenon. Findings show that urbanization and its culture, the development of literacy and education, increase in marriage age, dramatic growth of divorces, nuclearization of the family, encouraging less childbearing, influence of religion and development of the media are among the most important factors in reduction of fertility.