13. Genetics and Reproductive Behaviour

Fertility and reproduction have been core topics across multiple disciplines, including the study of reproductive behavior outcomes such as tempo (timing) and quantum (number) of fertility, but also fecundity, infertility and reproductive development. The aim of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive and introductory overview of the central theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of the genetics of human reproductive behavior and review key findings. We start with a brief definition of fertility and reproduction, followed by an overview of interdisciplinary approaches and findings. We then explore why it may be useful to adopt a biodemographic and genetic approach to reproduction, the central empirical methods that have been used, core findings to date and conclude with a discussion and reflection on future directions of research.