Change Quote by Cordelia Fine
““Male rats don’t experience the hormonal changes that trigger maternal behavior in female rats. They never normally participate in infant care. Yet put a baby rat in a cage with a male adult and after a few days he will be caring for the baby almost as if he were its mother. He’ll pick it up, nestle it close to him as a nursing female would, keep the baby rat clean and comforted, and even build a comfy nest for it.29 The parenting circuits are there in the male brain, even in a species in which paternal care doesn’t normally exist.30 If a male rat, without even the aid of a William Sears baby-care manual, can be inspired to parent then I would suggest that the prospects for human fathers are pretty good.””
About This Quote
Source Book: "Delusions of Gender" by Cordelia Fine, 2017
Male rats can exhibit caregiving behavior when exposed to a baby, showing that paternal instincts exist even in species where they are rare.
In simple terms: Male rats can learn to care for babies, suggesting innate paternal capacity.
Key Takeaway
Paternal behavior can be activated by experience.
Themes
parental instinct
neuroplasticity
gender roles
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
scientific
social
When to use this quote
- parenting education
- fatherhood support
- animal behavior research
Key Concepts
biology
psychology
social conditioning
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societal expectations shape paternal involvement?
- What interventions encourage paternal caregiving?
A Different Perspective
Human paternal behavior is influenced by social and biological factors.
