Abstract

This study examined the effect of individualistic orientation on fertility intention among 237 unmarried members of the MZ generation in South Korea, using a self-administered survey, and assessed the mediating roles of attitudes toward household labor and gender role attitudes. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the relationships among individualistic orientation, household labor attitudes, gender role attitudes, and fertility intention. The results revealed that individualistic orientation did not have a direct effect on fertility intention but exerted an indirect effect through household labor attitudes. This suggests that perceiving household labor as a meaningful and valuable activity can positively contribute to the formation of fertility intentions. The findings further indicate that fertility intentions are influenced less by surface-level value changes, such as individualism, and more by fundamental sociocultural perceptions, particularly those related to household labor. Therefore, policies aimed at increasing fertility rates should focus not on surface-level values but on the psychosocial factors mediating their influence, thereby requiring both structural interventions and institutional support.