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Scientists at the University of Michigan have suggested that a man’s testosterone’s level could provide a glimpse into his potential parenting skills.
While testosterone levels can affect a man’s sex drive and other health factors like baldness, it could also tell how good a father he will be, based on research published at the Developmental Psychobiology section.
In the study, researchers examined 175 men whose partner was pregnant with their second child. To evaluate the father-baby interaction, hormone tests via saliva samples were collected.
The father and infant were then asked to participate in a videotaped activity wherein the child was to be isolated from the father for a short period of time and then later reunited. During this activity, infants are expected to become visibly upset as they look for their fathers during isolation. Meanwhile, they are assumed to seek comfort from their fathers upon reunion.
According to the study’s first author Patty Kuo, the father’s testosterone level and empathy for babies when watching them in a distressed state determine their response.
For instance, men experience a decline in testosterone levels when they empathize with the baby, which then facilitates a nurturing response. Meanwhile, men experience an increase in testosterone levels when they find the cries as annoying and feel they are unable to comfort the child, which then facilitates a negative or intrusive response to the baby.
“For parents, infant cries are strong stimuli and can often elicit multiple types of emotional responses, including empathy, annoyance or aggravation,” explained Kuo.
To measure parental behaviors, fathers and infants were asked to complete a second task involving a three toys in separate boxes, each with an instruction card.
In each task, fathers were asked to teach a child a certain activity involving each toy. Scientists then observed whether the fathers were sensitive or intrusive during the three tasks.
“Men with larger declines in testosterone during the separation task were more sensitive fathers during the interaction,” Kuo said.
It was also observed that fathers of daughters were more sensitive compared to fathers of boys.
Lead study investigator Dr. Brenda Volling pointed that declines in testosterone will always be linked to “good fathering.”
“Perhaps increases in men’s testosterone may be necessary to protect the infant from harm in some situations,” Volling said.
Previous studies have established that sensitive and responsive fathering is linked to a child’s social, cognitive, and emotional development.
