Modes of Explanation in Anthropological Population Theory: Biological Determinism vs. Self‐Regulation in Studies of Population Growth in Third World Countries

Anthropological theories of population growth in underdeveloped countries are considered and it is argued that most studies have concentrated exclusively on either deterministic or self‐regulatory factors in population growth without regard to their probable interaction. A research strategy is proposed in which self‐regulatory factors, especially the decision‐making activities of individual parents, provide a primary focus of study but with careful attention to deterministic factors which constrain and influence the decision process . [population, underdevelopment, biology and self‐regulation in population theory]