The conclusion of research on the European fertility decline that cultural vari
ables play a significant role is supported by questionnaire data from a study of 1979-1980 Soviet
immigrants to Israel. The study was carried out using a causal model with path analysis and latent
variables, and revealed that the specific number of children in a Soviet family was determined by
family attitudes and values about the role and status of the woman in the family, by the number of
children in the parental home, and by the amount of assistance the parents gave to the young
couple. The causal model enabled the measurement of the relative direct and indirect effects of
cultural variables.
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