Voluntary childlessness as phenomenon of human ecology: is it social responsibility or personal interest?

The article considers the direction of human ecology as a complex, studying the issues of population development and human interaction with the environment. The relevance of this article is the need to analyze the phenomenon of childfree, which appeared relatively recently, but quickly spreading across the planet. In less than half a century, this movement has managed to gain immense popularity and gain both staunch supporters and ardent opponents. The aim of the research is to study the process of formation of voluntary childlessness principles among students in modern society. The study is based on qualitative methodology. The leading method to the study of this problem is the method of interview, which allows you to identify the causes of childfree, going deep into childhood. The article deals with theoretical and methodological aspects of the phenomenon of voluntary childlessness as a phenomenon of population ecology. Socio-psychological studies of reproductive behavior transformation in students through the prism of the phenomenon of voluntary childlessness are analyzed. The principles of voluntary childlessness among young people are studied. The analysis of interviews with representatives of childfree is carried out. The novelty and originality of the study lies in the fact that the human ecology is considered in a narrow sense of the term and it is shown that the position of voluntary childlessness among students has its roots deep in childhood. It is shown that the lack of attention, children’s psychological trauma-all this is reflected in the reluctance to have children. The main reasons for adopting childlessness are dislike for children, fear of pregnancy and childbirth, imaginary humanism, fear of responsibility, fear of being a bad parent. It is revealed that in interaction with the environment, informants - women are more likely to look for reasons within themselves, and informants - men talk about objective, usually external, reasons. It is revealed that the main reason for the spread of the phenomenon of childfree is a change in value orientations; psychological and economic failure; careerism; children’s psychological trauma. All informants accept foster parenthood, and do not exclude changing their views in the future. The data obtained in the work can be used in family psychology, human ecology, social psychology, pedagogy, age psychology, sociology, as well as for further theoretical development of this issue.