Demographics PDF

DEMOGRAPHICS HSB4U  Demography is the scientific study of the characteristics and dynamics (change) of human populations including their size, growth, movement, density, and composition. WHAT IS Another way to define demography is t...

DEMOGRAPHICS HSB4U  Demography is the scientific study of the characteristics and dynamics (change) of human populations including their size, growth, movement, density, and composition. WHAT IS Another way to define demography is to say that it DEMOGRAPHY? is the study of statistics about people, how these statistics have changed and are changing, and the effects of these changes on social, economic, and environmental conditions.  Some of the statistics that demography covers are: Birth Rates Death Rates Age WHAT IS Migration (including immigration and emigration) DEMOGRAPHY? Education Ethnicity Religion Economic Status Marital Status  Most frequently, demography is used in the following areas: o Marketing and consumer trends o Social Planning o Human Resources WHEN IS Historians, economists, geographers, and DEMOGRAPHY even epidemiologists use demographics to help USED? them to explain changes and trends. Politicians, social planners, and health officials use demographics to help them predict future trends and plan for future needs.  WHEN IS DEMOGRAPHY USED? Demographics are used in making many major decisions. Lawmakers use demographics to help them decide how many immigrants will be allowed to enter Canada; School boards will use demographics when they are deciding whether to build a new school or hire new staff; Car companies use demographics in deciding whether to build more SUVs or more Smart Cars.  Demography is a tool frequently used by social scientists to explain and predict specific changes and challenges in society. PSYCHOLOGISTS might study demographics in order to understand the people they are treating and to help them focus psychological research, education, and treatment. For example, if Canada’s population is growing older should DEMOGRAPHY psychologists be researching the correlation between ageing and depression? AND THE SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGISTS might use demography to help explain and understand why a culture behaves the way it does. For SCIENCES example, can anthropologists make any connections in North American cultures between declining birth rates and education? SOCIOLOGISTS might use demography to help explain certain stresses on a society, to explain why a society has changed or to assist in social planning. For example, should available money to spend in a community go toward a new playground or toward a new senior citizens activity centre?  DEMOGRAPHY AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES Social Scientists study demographics with three major questions in mind: 1. What are the agents (causes) of change? 2. What are the impediments to change? 3. What are the effects of change? Social Scientists study demographics using a variety of research methods (which we will explore later in this course). These can include interviews, statistics, surveys, observations, and reviews of existing literature.  EXAMPLE: DEMOGRAPHIC OF THE FAMILY The family is the basic unit of social activity. Therefore, the sociologist and the anthropologist are interested in the status, roles, and decision-making of family members. In some societies, having many children gives prestige to the mother and to the family. Why people want children is a question that may concern a psychologist.  P O P U L AT I O N S TAT I S T I C S : E X P LO R I N G D E M O G RA P H I C S Rates of growth are determined by the following formula: BR (Birth Rate): Live births per 100 people MR (Mortality Rate/ Death Rate): Death rate per 1000 people IR (Immigration Rate): Number of immigrants per 1000 people ER (Emigration rate): Number of emigrants per 1000 people Natural Increase/ Decrease Rate: BR- MR  E XP LOR IN G D E M OGRAP H IC S E XAM P L E TRY THIS! Take a look at the image. It illustrates population growth rate patterns for the world. Which parts of the world are experiencing the highest growth rates? Asia and Africa, but specifically the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa.  E XP LOR IN G D E M OGRAP H I C S E XA M P L E Which parts of the world are experiencing negative growth rates? Europe and Japan experience negative population growth rates because of low fertility rates. South Africa will experience negative population growth rates largely because of the AIDS epidemic.