Impact of High Sex Ratios on Urban and Rural China, 2009-2010

<P>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</P><br>From the early 1980s the proportion of male births in China has risen sharply with an average of 120 male births for every 100 female. These unprecedented sex ratio imbalances are now affecting the reproductive age groups, with 20 million excess men of reproductive age by 2020. Yet almost no empirical studies exist which explore this phenomenon, so the consequences of this huge surplus of excess men remains unknown. The overall objective of the study was to explore, through comparisons of urban and rural settings in three provinces, the demographic, social and psychological consequences of high sex ratios on (a) young men, (b) young women and (c) society more generally. <br>
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The specific objectives were:<ul><li>to compare key socio-demographic indicators for areas with differing sex ratios; </li><li>to explore and understand the experiences of young men and women living in environments with different sex ratios and their perceptions, if any, of the impact of excess males on society;</li><li>to explore the psychological and social impact of the sex ratio for partnered and unpartnered men and women;</li><li>to test hypotheses derived from the literature, including that in high sex ratio areas men are more vulnerable to depression and aggression, women have better mental health with less depression and anxiety, and violent crime and prostitution are more common.</li></ul>Further information may be found on the ESRC <a href="http://www.esrc.ac.uk/my-esrc/grants/RES-062-23-1097/read" title="The impact of high sex ratios in urban and rural China">The impact of high sex ratios in urban and rural China</a> project award webpage.<br>
<br><br><B>Main Topics</B>:<BR><br>The data cover sociodemographic, lifestyle, attitudes and mental health information, including: sociodemographic details; marriage: children; women's status in society; attitudes to sexual behaviour; unmarried older people; problems of excess men; depression; aggression; and sociosexuality.<br>
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<i>Measurement scales used</i>:<br>
Chinese versions of:<br>
1) The Beck Depression Inventory<br>
2) Rosenberg self-esteem scale<br>
3) Bryant and Smith's adaptation of the Buss/Perry aggression scale <br>
4) Sociosexual Inventory<br>
5) Adaptation of Spence, Helmrich and Stapp's Attitudes Towards Women scale.

<p>本摘要版权归英国数据服务中心（UK Data Service）及数据采集版权所有者所有。</p><br>自20世纪80年代初以来，中国的出生性别比持续攀升，平均每100名女婴对应约120名男婴。这种前所未有的性别比例失衡现已对育龄群体产生影响，预计到2020年，育龄男性过剩人数将达2000万。然而目前几乎尚无针对该现象的实证研究，因此这类男性过剩群体所带来的诸多后果仍未明晰。本研究的总体目标为：通过对比中国三个省份的城乡场景，探究高性别比例对（a）年轻男性、（b）年轻女性以及（c）更广泛的社会所产生的人口学、社会学及心理学层面的影响。<br><br>本研究的具体目标包括：<ul><li>对比不同性别比例区域的关键社会人口学指标；</li><li>探究并理解生活在不同性别比例环境中的年轻男女的生活经历，以及他们（若有的话）对男性过剩问题给社会带来的影响的认知；</li><li>探究性别比例对有伴侣及无伴侣的男性和女性所产生的心理学与社会学层面的影响；</li><li>验证源自既有文献的多项假说，包括：在高性别比例地区，男性更易出现抑郁与攻击行为；女性心理健康状况更佳，抑郁与焦虑水平更低；暴力犯罪与卖淫行为更为频发。</li></ul>更多相关信息可参见经济和社会研究理事会（Economic and Social Research Council, ESRC）发布的<a href="http://www.esrc.ac.uk/my-esrc/grants/RES-062-23-1097/read" title="The impact of high sex ratios in urban and rural China">「中国城乡地区高性别比例的影响」</a>项目资助网页。<br><br><b>核心主题</b>：<br><br>本数据集涵盖社会人口学、生活方式、态度观念及心理健康相关信息，具体包括：社会人口学细节、婚姻与生育状况、女性社会地位、性行为态度、未婚老年群体问题、男性过剩问题、抑郁、攻击行为以及社会性性取向（sociosexuality）。<br><br><i>所用测量量表</i>：<br>以下均为中文译本：<br>1) 贝克抑郁量表（Beck Depression Inventory）<br>2) 罗森伯格自尊量表（Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale）<br>3) 布莱恩特与史密斯改编版巴斯-佩里攻击量表（Bryant and Smith's adaptation of the Buss/Perry Aggression Scale）<br>4) 社会性性取向量表（Sociosexual Inventory）<br>5) 斯宾塞、赫尔姆里奇与斯塔普女性态度量表改编版（Adaptation of Spence, Helmreich and Stapp's Attitudes Towards Women Scale）