Moms Might Not Treat Ugly Babies As Well As Cute Ones
Posted by: Catherine Strawn
Filed in:
news
9:10AM, Thursday June 25th 2009
A mother’s love is supposed to be unconditional, right? Well, that’s not what a new study released by the Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital found. According to the small study of 27 volunteers, babies that are less attractive might not get as much attention from their mothers.
In the study, participants were shown pictures of 50 healthy, attractive babies and 30 others with facial irregularities. The photos stayed on a computer screen for four seconds unless participants pressed certain keys to change the photo. The men were less likely to click off the photos of unattractive babies than the women were. The women left the keyboard alone while looking at the cute babies but moved along quickly from the ones with facial irregularities.
The study was small and certainly has its flaws—maybe the men just didn’t click off the ugly babies because they’re lazy!—but isn’t it sad to know that we might all be naturally shallow? If we are, it’s a good thing society expects moms to adore their children, no matter what they look like, and hopefully that compensates. [Time]
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Jessica Wakeman
wrote on June 25 2009 @ 09:25 am: [report]
Maybe it’s something having to do with the “runt of the litter” idea. Don’t mommy birds not feed their smallest, ugliest babies because they assume they’re going to die? Maybe human mommies react the same way with “ugly” babies.
lea322
wrote on June 25 2009 @ 09:27 am: [report]
Were the volunteers looking at their own children? I think there’s something to be said for the bond between a mother and her OWN child. I can’t think of a single mother I’ve ever encountered who thought their own baby wasn’t the cutest thing they’d ever seen, whether I agreed or not.
jojo32
wrote on June 25 2009 @ 10:48 am: [report]
I totally agree w/ lea. I’ll admit I’ve judged some babies. I’ve had the “ew, that’s not an attractive baby” thoughts. So sue me. But you better believe I thought my kid was the cutest thing to ever spring forth from a uterus. I’m pretty sure there is no one disputing it either.
angelspinning
wrote on June 25 2009 @ 10:59 am: [report]
Actually, I’ve seen an older study before that said women who had ugly babies did spend less time with them