Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Binomial families

In a society where the average family has 2 children simple binomial probabilities will tell you that, compared with a society which averages, say, 4 children there will be fewer
  • fathers who have sons
  • mothers who have daughters
  • girls who have brothers
  • boys who have sisters

You do not have to be a complete biological determinist to think that, statistically speaking, this will lead to certain social or sociological differences

Even the most domineering paterfamilias might deign to educate a daughter if he has no son

More girls might be exposed to hobbies or casts of thought if their father involves them in pursuits which he might otherwise share mainly with his son

And so on

Of course couples might do their bit to confuse the statistics if those who have 2 children of the same sex are more likely to have a third child