This paper deals with the question, whether variables, such as gender, influence the attitude towards abortion. The addressed discourse on abortion is often dominated by women. But even if they are directly affected by the issue, because they are carrying out the pregnancy, it is clear that men cannot be left out of the debate.
Abortion is a difficult and therefore widely discussed moral issue, which is characterized by the fact that different value concepts meet and seem to elude any scientific discourse. The origin of the discussions about the regulation of abortion goes back a long way and yet it flares up again and again. A few months ago, for example, Poland tightened its already strict abortion law even further, declaring abortions unconstitutional due to the possibility of severe malformations of the unborn child.
Overseas, fears of similar measures are growing because of the appointment of pro-abortion opponent Amy Coney Barrett as a Supreme Court judge. Germany, on the other hand, seems to be taking slow but steady steps in the opposite direction. In early 2019, the German Bundestag voted in favor of a new version of Section 219a of the German Penal Code, thus contributing in part to improving information on abortion.
Paragraph 219a not only criminalized physicians quasi unintentionally, but also made it more difficult for those affected to access help. The debate about a change in the "ban on information", was triggered by the case of the physician Kristina Hänel. She was sentenced to a fine in 2017 because she listed the word "abortion" under the heading "spectrum" on her website.
Following the ensuing public debate, the responsible ministers spent several months preparing a new draft law to supplement the advertising ban. According to the bill, medical practices and hospitals will in future be allowed to advertise that they perform abortions. However, they are still not allowed to inform about which abortion methods they offer.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Methodology
2.1 Data
2.2 Measurement and Analysis
3 Results
4 Conclusion
5 Bibliography
Research Objectives and Focus
This paper examines the influence of gender on attitudes towards abortion in Germany, testing the hypothesis that women hold more positive views than men. By addressing the gender disparity in the discourse surrounding abortion and the potential impact of male-dominated political decision-making, the study seeks to understand whether these attitudinal differences correlate with the legislative handling of sensitive issues like Section 219a of the German Penal Code.
- Gender-based differences in abortion attitudes
- Political influence on abortion legislation in Germany
- Analysis of the German General Social Survey (ALLBUS) data
- Statistical hypothesis testing using t-tests
- Limitations of gender as a singular explanatory variable
Excerpt from the Book
a. Research problem
Abortion is a difficult and therefore widely discussed moral issue, which is characterized by the fact that different value concepts meet and seem to elude any scientific discourse. The origin of the discussions about the regulation of abortion goes back a long way and yet it flares up again and again. A few months ago, for example, Poland tightened its already strict abortion law even further, declaring abortions unconstitutional due to the possibility of severe malformations of the unborn child (Pallokat, 2020). Overseas, fears of similar measures are growing because of the appointment of pro-abortion opponent Amy Coney Barrett as a Supreme Court judge (Baker, 2020). Germany, on the other hand, seems to be taking slow but steady steps in the opposite direction.
In early 2019, the German Bundestag voted in favor of a new version of Section 219a of the German Penal Code, thus contributing in part to improving information on abortion (Entwurf Eines Gesetzes Zur Verbesserung Der Information Über Einen Schwangerschaftsabbruch, 2019). Originally, paragraph 219a forbade physicians from publicly informing doctors of their "pecuniary advantage because of or in a grossly offensive manner" about the termination of pregnancy. Anyone who "offers, announces, advertises, promotes or provides public statements of such content" ((§219a I 1 StGB) was liable to a fine or even imprisonment for up to two years. This regulation not only criminalized physicians quasi unintentionally, but also made it more difficult for those affected to access help.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Introduces the moral complexity of the abortion debate and the specific context of Section 219a of the German Penal Code, leading to the research question.
2 Methodology: Details the use of ALLBUS survey data, the complex sampling design, and the application of statistical methods like t-tests to measure attitudes.
3 Results: Presents the statistical findings, confirming the hypothesis that women in Germany hold a significantly more positive attitude towards abortion than men.
4 Conclusion: Discusses the findings' implications for political policy and suggests future research directions, such as incorporating additional socioeconomic variables.
5 Bibliography: Provides a comprehensive list of the academic and political sources used throughout the study.
Keywords
Abortion, Gender Differences, Germany, ALLBUS, Public Opinion, Section 219a, Penal Code, Statistical Analysis, Hypothesis Testing, Gender Disparity, Political Discourse, Social Survey, Reproductive Rights, Sociology, Data Analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research paper?
The paper investigates whether gender acts as a significant variable in shaping attitudes towards abortion within the German population.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The study covers the intersection of gender, political decision-making, legal regulations regarding abortion (specifically Section 219a), and social attitudes as reflected in survey data.
What is the central research question?
The study seeks to answer to what extent, if any, women in Germany are more positive about abortion than men.
Which scientific method is utilized in this study?
The author performs an inferential statistical analysis, specifically using a t-test (at a significance level of α=0.05) on data from the German General Social Survey (ALLBUS).
What does the main body of the paper address?
The main body focuses on the methodology of data selection (including complex sampling designs), the measurement of independent and dependent variables, and the statistical evaluation of the hypothesis.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Abortion, Gender Differences, ALLBUS, Germany, Public Opinion, and Statistical Analysis.
Why was the ALLBUS 2018 dataset chosen for this study?
The 2018 dataset was selected for its topicality and because it provides a representative, high-quality random sample of the German population necessary for valid statistical inference.
How was the dependent variable regarding abortion attitudes constructed?
The variable was based on survey responses regarding abortion access, which were then reversed so that higher values represented a more positive attitude toward abortion for consistency in analysis.
What is the significance of the t-test results found in Chapter 3?
The results show a statistically significant difference between genders, confirming the initial hypothesis that women in Germany hold a more positive attitude towards abortion than men.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2021, Gender and attitudes towards abortion in Germany. An analysis of the influence, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1128390
