Stephanie Hayes says it’s time to give both mom and dad equal credit when it comes to parental intuition.
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It’s time to give the “maternal instinct” a new, gender-neutral name, as a recent study has found that men are as suited to parenting as women.
The study, conducted at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, compared the brains and hormone levels of “traditional families,” (consisting of a mother and father, with the `mother as the primary caregiver) with homosexual couples where one of the males was the biological father but the two men shared the caregiving equally. And, guess, what? All parents showed activation in what scientists refer to as the ” parenting network.” That’s great news. But why is this still news?
In the study, the parents’ nurturing instincts were tested in a couple of ways. Their oxytocin levels (what scientists call the ”trust hormone”) were measured and they were placed under fMRIs to determine how their brains reacted to videos of them with their infants. All parents showed activation in the amygdala, insula, and nucleus accumbens (the brain regions registering strong emotions, attention, and reward) as well as in parts of the prefrontal cortex and superior temporal sulcus (regions that register learning and experience). While the secondary-caregiving fathers showed less activation in this first collection of areas, both members of the homosexual couple showed the same level of activation here as the mother. The secondary-caregiving father’s activation level was proportionate to the amount of time he spent caring for the child.
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“These results suggest that it is the experience of parenting, and not some inalterable genetic factor or hormone, that constitutes what we call the “maternal instinct.”
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These results suggest that it is the experience of parenting, and not some inalterable genetic factor or hormone, that constitutes what we call the “maternal instinct.” Pregnancy and childbirth aren’t necessary to cultivate this.
Although this is a wonderful finding, I’m disappointed this still has to make headlines as “news,” as it proves society’s ongoing belief in nature over nurture and in neurosexism — the idea that there are hardwired differences between male and female brains.
A New York Times article challenged such beliefs way back in 2011 when it reported on a study showing strong decreases in testosterone in parenting fathers. The more involved the father — the more bedtime stories read, diapers changed, and meals prepared — the lower his testosterone levels. Peter Ellison, a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard who commented on the study for the New York Times, interpreted the study as showing that “male parental care is important. It’s important enough that it’s actually shaped the physiology of men.”
Women aren’t the only ones biologically fit to care for children. This is not new information. But, just in case you missed it, let’s put it in another headline.
science will “never prove” who is the better parent….because it comes from the Heart. the “bond” created from ‘carrying a child” can never be explained by science as it sits in the realm of God…… hence the “war on women” since time began………trying to control what is not controllable by man. we are NO longer “chattel” and realize our roles in the world……..it’s time we are “honored” for this…..just like men are honored for going to war………….
Testosterone drops as we get older, it’s that simple ….has nothing to do with parenting.
Very true, one of many causes of a drop in testosterone.
It also happens with men who are depressed, dispirited, or worried. For example, if your favorite football team loses, your testosterone usually drops. Maybe dads lose testosterone because it’s depressing to be a dad.
If parenting makes testosterone decline, then maybe that says something about what it’s like to be a dad, not about what testosterone is like….
I understand that the “testosterone drop” example is in the article to show how physiology is shaped by parenting experience and not vice versa. However, my concern is that many people will infer from this that testosterone is some sort of anti-parenting hormone or that it is inherently bad for being a good parent. There is already a lot of unexamined pop culture garbage out there that treats testosterone as some sort of poison. You’d never know from the way misandrists talk that almost everyone has testosterone. Saying testosterone drops when a man raises children makes it sound like dads… Read more »
Very interesting article… My nanny had to raise her two boys alone in the Philippines after she left an 11 year abusive marriage….once her boys were well into completing college, she came to the USA to find work… her first boy is all grown up and working as an engineer in another country…But her second son married an alcoholic/drug-using wreck and had a child with her, whom she later abandoned….he is now a lost soul and in self-destruct mode…he is gambling and out all night, completely abdicating all his responsibilities…His mom is the sweetest person in the world and I… Read more »