A study conducted with over 2,000 families in China revealed interesting findings regarding parental bias when it comes to having both a son and a daughter. Surprisingly, mothers tend to subtly favor their sons over their daughters, expressing their affection in a more restrained manner.
This raises an intriguing question: Why do fathers tend to be closer to their daughters, while mothers seem to gravitate towards their sons? The answer lies in the differing perceptions of parents regarding the roles and values of sons and daughters, as uncovered by the study.
Why do fathers tend to spoil their daughters? Fascinating insights from brain-scanning research.
The renowned psychology journal, “Behavioral Neuroscience,” recently published the results of an intriguing study. The research team conducted experiments with 30 father-daughter pairs and 22 father-son pairs.
In this experiment, the researchers placed recorders in the children’s rooms and monitored them for 48 hours. Every nine minutes, a 50-second recording was made to capture the most intimate moments between fathers and their daughters.
Why do fathers tend to dote on their daughters?
The findings revealed that fathers displayed higher levels of interaction, care, and attention towards their daughters compared to their sons. Notably, they were five times more likely to whistle and sing to their daughters than to their sons.
Additionally, fathers were more likely to respond positively to their daughters’ various requests, and they exhibited more body language when communicating with their girls.
The research team also requested that the fathers undergo MRI scans to observe their brain’s reactions during interactions with their children.
It was discovered that when daughters expressed happiness, the region of the father’s brain associated with “reward” and “emotion regulation” lit up. This response was heightened when fathers saw their daughters smile, whereas the response was only moderate when they saw their sons’ happy faces.
However, when fathers witnessed neutral expressions from their sons, their brains reacted more intensely, possibly due to the mystery of their sons’ inner thoughts, sparking curiosity.
The distinct differences in reactions to sons and daughters showcase the varied emotions fathers experience.
In conclusion, fathers’ bias towards their daughters can be considered a universal phenomenon. For instance, a father in Iran chose to quit his job to become a full-time bodyguard for his daughter, demonstrating the profound love a father can have for his little girl.
Why do mothers tend to favor their sons? Intriguing findings from the research.
We are all familiar with sayings such as, “Fathers love their daughters, mothers love their sons” or “Daughters take after their fathers, and sons take after their mothers.” While these expressions may seem complementary, they are not random. They reflect a balance between yin and yang.
This perspective is increasingly prevalent in modern theories that view humans through a physical lens, dividing humanity into two genders: male and female.
Why do mothers tend to favor their sons?
Deep within their souls, men carry the image of women, and women hold the image of men in their minds. When a child of the opposite gender is born with similar features, it completes the picture within them.
Thus, the arrival of a son satisfies the mother’s intrinsic need, as if he is another version of herself. From this perspective, it is understandable why a mother might tend to love and spoil her son.
Psychologist Jung introduced the concepts of ‘Armani’ and ‘Animus.’ Armani represents the image of a woman in a man’s mind, while Animus represents the image of a man in a woman’s mind.
These needs are projected onto the next generation, explaining why parents often favor children who resemble them. To a certain extent, this self-love reflects human psychology.
While these notions may be considered innate, with higher consciousness and control, humans can learn to treat their children more equitably.
This reflects the progress and maturity of modern parents, who not only shield their children from their emotional vulnerabilities but also demonstrate fairness and care in all aspects of parenting.
In their evolutionary journey, today’s parents are evolving, adopting suitable educational methods, and ensuring equity and justice in their treatment of each child.
