Babies may be on mind from the outset of a new relationship
Are men less interested in babies? With love fresh in the air, one shows greater activation of brain areas related to parental attachment as the symptoms make one broody, according to a study. The research published in ‘New Scientist’ says that babies may be on mind from the outset of a (new) relationship.
According to Ruth Feldman (of Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel), who led the research, “Men may be worried about their partner’s desire for children, and their increased attention to infant stimuli is based on apprehension and the need to be more guarded.”
The research team monitored the brain activity of volunteers that included new parents, new lovers and singles as they viewed pictures of infants – including the parents own babies – along with neutral pictures.
Helen Fisher (of Rutgers University, New York), the author of ‘Why We Love’, was quoted by the magazine as saying that “… even though the lovers don’t know it, they are physiologically getting ready to respond to infants.”
Does this new study then overturn the common assumption that men are less interested in babies than women? “It shows that we really don’t understand men,” says Fisher.
Incidentally, Fisher has just finished a survey of men and women in the United States, which found that men are significantly more likely to make a long-term commitment with someone they didn’t feel sexually attracted to if that person has all the other qualities they were looking for.
Neeraj Bhushan
More than a bystander. Chocolate soldier. Pineapple lover. Loves music & movies. Curious about news & trends.