How Dads Bond with Toddlers
How Dads Bond with Toddlers
Summary: In a recent study at Emory University,
researchers found that when fathers are given doses of the hormone oxytocin, they
experience increased brain activity in regions of the brain that are associated
with reward and empathy. This result was found when the fathers were given
pictures of their toddlers to view, and the researchers used functional
magnetic resonance imaging in order to compare the men what were given doses of
oxytocin, compared to the men that were not. The researchers detected more
brain activity in the caudate nucleus, dorsal anterior cingulate and visual
cortex, in the fathers who received the oxytocin. This evidence suggest that oxytocin
may lead to more empathy and reward feelings, and help fathers with increased
motivation to pay attention to their children. In the study, all of the men
were healthy and have toddlers between the ages of one and two. It has been
known that oxytocin is associated with being a maternal hormone because it is released
in the bloodstream during labor and nursing, but more recent studies suggest that
men undergo hormonal changes from increased production of oxytocin when then
have kids, which promote bonding and empathy with the child.
With
this new found research associated with the affects of oxytocin on men, medical
professionals are now interested in learning more about the affects of oxytocin
in the brain of a father, in hopes of helping fathers who suffer from paternal
motivation or post-partum depression. It is clear that this new finding is
important because many pervious studies suggest that as the father child relationship
strengthens, child mortality, and morbidity decreases, and social, psychological
and educational outcomes improve. I was also drawn to reading this article because
I wrote my ted talk paper on the role that oxytocin plays in the bodies stress
response. From the Ted talk I learned that oxytocin protects the heart and
helps regenerate cells that were damaged by stress. Also the psychologist in
the Ted talk explained that oxytocin makes people want to seek support when
they are dealing with stress; therefore, the speaker explained that stress
makes a person social. At this point, I am very impressed with all of the
different benefits of oxytocin in the body.
Link: http://neurosciencenews.com/oxytocin-dad-bonding-6127/
The hormone oxytocin is usually referred to women when they are during labor or breastfeeding. It is released by the pituitary gland and is sometimes referred to being the "love" hormone because when it is released, the person feels more emotional and has a sense of bonding with the other person. This research was performing this experiment on men, which I thought was a strange concept. Women are more associated with having more of this hormone, but that is due to the fact it is needed to deliver babies and breastfeed; both things that males are unable to do. I could not, in my opinion, find an actual reason on why this experiment was being performed. We already know the affects of the hormone, so were they testing it on males to see if it had the same affects? Hormones do not know genders and therefore of course it would have the same effect on males that it would have on females. It is interesting to see that apparently men undergo hormonal changes as well. But, I was not sure why they were taking doses of oxytocin if this already occurs naturally. In a way, it felt like the article was suggesting that a father did not bond or pay attention as much to their child as a mother does, which seems a little stereotypical.
ReplyDeleteThis study makes me wonder if oxytocin could be a way to help mother's who suffer with postpartum depression. Maybe giving this mothers oxytocin would help overcome their depression and fatigue.
ReplyDeleteJust like new mothers experience the hormone oxytocin when their baby arrives, new fathers often have the hormone released as well. While mothers may release the oxytocin when bonding and breastfeeding, dads can release it when they are caring for their newborn. The early, loving interactions between the father and child stimulate the hormone release and help build a bond between the two. The release of oxytocin likely assists in the child feeling attached and secure with their parent. This likely leads to better mental health for the child and the father as time goes on.
ReplyDeleteThe hormonal response to having a child is an interesting concept, and it has not occurred to me the hormonal changes on the male side of the equation. I was aware that hormonal changes occurred in mothers when they have a child, but i was ignorant to the fact that these hormones can literally make you a more empathetic person. I have never considered the effects of introducing these hormones to fathers to see if it showed similar effects as for mothers. After these results are considered showing that dosing fathers with oxytocin can make them a better father, i believe there are some ethical questions to answer. For example: is introducing an alien hormone to men in order to make them better fathers unethical due to the fact that it is not biologically realistic and is taking away pressure for fathers to allow their basic human moral code to guide them to be a good father? This hormone is not necessary for men to be a reliable and loving person for their child and i believe (despite this being interesting research) this is an unnecessary study that may only be enabling unreliable fathers.
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