What is the scientific reason we are so attached to our kids?

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What is the scientific reason we are so attached to our kids?

In: Biology

4 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Carrying them in your stomach for 9 months and then going through the pain of labour and giving birth probably

Anonymous 0 Comments

Children that were taken care of by their parents better were more likely to survive and reproduce, they were also more prone to take good care of their own children, and the cycle continued…

Basically, evolution at work.

Anonymous 0 Comments

From a biological standpoint, I would think we want to ensure that the genes we pass on to our offspring can effectively be spread wider through the population, through their offspring. We have an inherent interest in loving and protecting our offspring to give them the best chance to reproduce and further spread our genes.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Do you mean what is actually happening on a physiological level, or why do we have this physiology?

The why is easier to answer. We are mammals, and like most mammals we have a strong social structure that ensures our own survival. Without care, our children would die. We are biologically driven to provide that care. Procreation is the ultimate goal of our stupid monkey brain – and procreation is only complete when our children are successfully raised into independent adults.

*How* we are driven to provide that care is rather more complicated. It’s a mix of hormones and neurological impulses.

A big part is that we are literally wired up to find small humans cute – and therefore worthy of care and protection. It’s actually the same reason we find puppies cute. Large eyes, disproportionately large head, sporadic movements, soft to touch, high-pitched mews. These are the features of our newborns. These are what activates the “oh, that’s cute” impulse in our brain. Add in some parent-child pheromones, some hormonal changes that happen when you procreate, and you’re off to the races.