Thread by @bridgetmcgann

Some #FathersDay science!

We tend to think of mothers as the more biologically connected parent, and the assumption is that moms are more of a “natural” at parenting whereas dads are not. This is not true. Dads have some VERY interesting biological responses to their kids!

1/13

@LeeGettler & colleagues found that dads who spend lots time with their kids-caring for them, cosleeping, hanging out, just everyday things-experience a rise in prolactin.

2/13

If you know what prolactin is, you might be going, "...Wait, what?!" That's because is the milk-making hormone--for breastfeeding! But lesser-known is that it also happens to be associated with caregiving behavior in vertebrates, male AND female.

3/13

fatherhood.global/prolactin-fath…

Along with Peter Gray and others, Gettler has also found that, over time, dads get a dip in testosterone. It's still unclear why, but it may have to do with sensitizing fathers to the cues of his child--vs. the cues of a woman he meets at a bar!

pnas.org/content/108/39…

4/13

This time/biology relationship is borne out by psychological research on father-child attachment--for dads, it is formed through “clocking hours” with his child. Not just play, but everyday caregiving, cuddling, and just “being” together.

5/13

(Attachment is distinct from bonding in that it is a scientific measure that has been shown to predict developmental outcomes later on such as resilience and quality of interpersonal relationships in adulthood.)

6/13

Parenting style is different in dads (at least in the West)-equal in importance, & complementary to moms' style. It tends to be more playful and exploratory. This style of parenting encourages confidence and curiosity in the child, and increases openness to new experiences.
7/13

Studies of cortisol response and MRIs have found that all parents have a neurological response to the laughing and crying of babies. This study found that dads correctly identified their own baby's cry just as well as moms could.

smithsonianmag.com/science-nature…

8/13

(Side note: Some studies have found a more pronounced response in the brains of breastfeeding mothers vs. formula feeding, but this in no way means some parents are "better" parents than others! Also it's super complex so don't @ me plz)

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…

8.2/13

Not forgetting my #Pride dads! Ruth Feldman in @PNASNews found an interesting phenomenon in the brains of gay dads. Instead of responding like 2 heterosexual dads, their brains respond more like *both sexes*. And again, the effect increases w/ time.

pnas.org/content/111/27…

9/13

(...Of course, the difference in neurological responses in moms vs. dads is probably largely influenced by cultural gender roles, and structural inequities that place a greater burden of non-reproductive parenting tasks on one gender over the other. #SmashThePatriarchy)

10/13

In our culture, boys and men are not encouraged in caregiving in the way girls are. Young boys aren’t given dolls, and older boys don’t get hired as babysitters. Men walk onto an uneven playing field when they become parents.

11/13

And yet! Dads are every bit as capable as their female peers. The biological scaffolding is already within you. And as for gay and trans parents--*we need more research*, but early research suggests our brains are plastic, and they adapt to their role beautifully.

12/13

Tl;dr: Whether you are the birthing parent or not, whether you breastfed or not, with time and work and patience, every parent is capable of building a profound and biologically-driven connection with their child.

Happy #FathersDay! Love, science

13/13