Commenting on the findings of a recent Marriage and Parenthood survey, SMU Dean of Students and Professor of Sociology (Practice) Paulin Straughan, one of the appointed research consultants of the survey, said that as Singapore continues to progress and mature as a society, there is a convergence with the global shift towards more liberal attitudes on gender roles and expectations of marriage. She added, "There is a change in attitude towards children, where people are more likely to see child-raising as an intrinsically meaningful experience, rather than a transactional one – for example, for support in old age."