What Do Studies Say About Parental Instinct?
For men, being a father is an experience that can provoke some very deep feelings, never perceived by them. An inexplicable need may arise to provide your child with care and protection, something known as unconditional love. You learn little by little what it is to love someone other than yourself.
For some scientists it has no mystery, it is something that is in the genes. This is what allows us to speak of the existence of a certain paternal instinct. According to psychologist Susana Peñagaricano, some recent studies have revealed what she calls the paternal-filial instinct.
It is an inner feeling that forces you to give love and protection. This generates the affective bond in the mother, but it has also been demonstrated in the father.
What is the reason for the development of the paternal instinct?
Experts explain that it is due to the increase in hormones such as prolactin, oxytocin and estradiol. It occurs in men who live with pregnant women. This is in addition to the drop in testosterone in men who are going to be fathers. This change seems to result in a less aggressive, more stable and more tender behavior in the future father.
For her part, for family therapist Irene Loyácono, the concepts that can often be confused with instinct are empathy and attachment. She believes that there is no justification for talking about parental instinct. In this case, there is only the development of empathy, a capacity that man has and that is activated through something known as “mirror neurons”
Nowadays , parents can recognize the need to feed, care for or cradle their little one. Such behaviors can come to substitute for the mother when necessary. When men remain in contact with mother and child, their capacity for empathy allows them to homologate.
The French university Paris XI-Orsay recently revealed the ability of parents to recognize the cry of their little ones. The experts were surprised by the way they do it, because in addition, they can interpret that cry. We never would have believed that Dad could do this, but it is possible.
In this sense, experts recognize that everything depends on the time that parents spend with their children. Thus, direct and permanent contact with babies helps to develop competencies similar to those of women.
Previously, the woman spent more time with her children because the man worked and she stayed at home. In contrast, nowadays, when women work, men spend more time with children. The father is expected to have a closer bond with his children due to the time he spends with them.
Parental function
The responsibility of being a good father is as important a personal goal as professional fulfillment for the man. In a study on Father’s Day, a survey was carried out to identify the father’s function according to themselves. 47.6% of those surveyed stated that the main function of a father is to give love and always be there for his son.
In second place, 44.7% responded that the functions were to educate them, teach them good manners, respect and set limits. And the remaining 7.6% expressed that their main function as a father was to provide financially for their family.
According to other results of the same survey, 45% revealed that they were willing to take care of their child as the mother would. 38% added that they could do household chores. However, there is still 15.9% who have no intention of helping to take care of the child or take on women’s tasks.
In this regard, experts point out that being a father can be something desired and appreciated by men. However, their contribution is usually due to a need. That is, when the responsibility is unique, they must assume the commitment.
When the mother leaves home, the father must take on the task. In such a case , a paternal instinct does not develop, but an indispensable version that comes out in them.
