Social Class, Style of Life and Fertility in Puerto Rico

This study examines the relationship between fertility, social class, and styles of life in Puerto Rico. Styles of life are viewed as behavioral constellations selected among available cultural alternatives and manifested in the manner in which goods are consumed. The survey instrument included 43 different behavoral items believed to reflect viable cultural alternatives. Using a principal components solution and varimax rotation procedures, the first four factors were initially selected to characterize life-style components. Cross-tabulations were made on completed fertility by employing both Hollingshead's Social Classes and the Style of Life typology. The style of life approach systematically differentiates fertility patterns within what the Hollingshead procedure would indicate to be a homogeneous group.