CSP CSP Demographic Analysis & Population Studies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The total fertility rate (TFR) measures:
- The number of births in a given year
- The average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime given current age-specific fertility rates (Correct answer)
- The birth rate among teenagers
- The proportion of women who have at least one child
Correct answer: The average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime given current age-specific fertility rates
The TFR is a synthetic measure representing the average number of children a woman would bear if she experienced current age-specific fertility rates throughout her reproductive years.
Question 2: Population aging in the US is primarily driven by:
- Increasing immigration of older adults
- Declining fertility rates and increasing life expectancy (Correct answer)
- Higher death rates among young adults
- Baby boom cohorts leaving the country
Correct answer: Declining fertility rates and increasing life expectancy
US population aging results from the combination of declining fertility (fewer young people) and rising life expectancy (more older people).
Question 3: A CSP practitioner analyzing racial demographic shifts in the US would note that by 2045, projections suggest:
- White non-Hispanic population will remain the majority
- The US will become a majority-minority nation (Correct answer)
- Asian Americans will be the largest racial group
- African Americans will surpass Hispanic/Latino populations
Correct answer: The US will become a majority-minority nation
US Census Bureau projections indicate the US will become a majority-minority nation around 2045, when no single racial/ethnic group will constitute more than 50% of the population.
Question 4: The concept of 'dependency ratio' is important in demographic analysis because it measures:
- Drug dependency rates in a population
- The proportion of economically dependent (young and old) relative to working-age people (Correct answer)
- The reliance of rural areas on urban centers
- Income inequality between age groups
Correct answer: The proportion of economically dependent (young and old) relative to working-age people
The dependency ratio compares the number of dependents (under 15 and over 64) to the working-age population (15–64), indicating economic support burdens.
Question 5: Internal migration patterns in the US show a long-term trend of population movement toward:
- Northeastern industrial cities
- Sun Belt states in the South and West (Correct answer)
- Rural farming communities
- Midwestern manufacturing centers
Correct answer: Sun Belt states in the South and West
Since the mid-20th century, the US has seen sustained internal migration toward Sun Belt states in the South and West, driven by climate, economic opportunity, and lower costs.
Question 6: For a CSP practitioner, a community's 'social carrying capacity' refers to:
- The maximum population a community can sustain given its social infrastructure and resources (Correct answer)
- Physical space available for new housing developments
- The number of social workers per capita
- Economic productivity limits of a workforce
Correct answer: The maximum population a community can sustain given its social infrastructure and resources
Social carrying capacity refers to the maximum population size a community can support given its social institutions, infrastructure, and resource base without significant deterioration.
CSP CSP Demographic Analysis & Population Studies 2
The total fertility rate (TFR) measures: