The state of Ohio has a dwindling population. In an effort to increase the birthrate in the state, it offers a $5,000 bonus to all families giving birth in the state for the next three years. Which of the following is the latent function?

a) an increase in the need for teachers as a result of more children in the Ohio educational system

b) an increase in the population in the state of Ohio

c) an increase in the birthrate in the state of Ohio

d) all of these are latent functions

An increase in the need for teachers as a result of more children in the Ohio educational system is the latent function.

Option: (A)

Explanation:

Owing to the scheme implemented by the Ohio state government, it is obvious that more parents would be motivated to give birth to birth to more number of children in the next three years. As some of the consequences of the scheme implemented, the population of the state would increase considerably in the next three years. As there would be more more children born in the next three years, the newly added population would be more or less in the same age group. Thus, among the needs that would be required to be fulfilled owing to the growth in the population, the need for teachers would be latent and inevitable.