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Some Women Born to Be Bad Mothers, Study Says
Filed under: In The News
Are some women just destined to be bad mothers?
It appears so, a new study indicates.
Researchers from Virginia's University of Richmond say that some women are just biologically programmed with a "bad mothering" brain switch.
Craig Kinsley, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Richmond, said his study found that women develop a cluster of brain cells -- called maternal neurons -- during pregnancy. After the baby is born, these brain cells are then "switched on," resulting in good or bad parenting skills.
"We believe that a certain number of these 'maternal neurons' need to be 'switched on' for good mothering to take place," Kinsley said, according to NewsCore -- an international wire service owned by News Corp.
Read more on this story at AOLHealth.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
3-30-2010 @ 3:56PM
acm said...this implies that the only guidance that parents have is instinct, rather than having a wealth of written and social support through which to learn how to handle the ever-changing project of parenthood. consistent with the continual wish to demote all things "womanly" to odd, other-ish mechanisms, when in fact men and women are both fully capable of figuring out What It Takes, whether or not it comes out of the womb with the baby...
(heck, what is this finding trying to say about adoptive mothers, who don't have biological "priming"?? that they can't do it? ridiculous.)
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6-10-2010 @ 10:36PM
happymommyof3 said...I think even an average parent can climb to excellence with some practice, commitment, love and patience. However, I have seen a few in my lifetime I just don't believe posses the parenting gene. For example, my husband's ex is a sociopath who could probably sweet talk herself to the white house if she wanted. She's intelligent and charming but it's all superficial! She tells the kids how much she loves and adores them, and then she doesn't see them or even call them for five months. She's a sociopath---she lies and manipulates to achieve her goals regardless of who she hurts. Her kids are no exception. She's proven for the last 14 years that she can sweet talk, hug, kiss, pretend she cares, etc., but when push comes to shove, she isn't the mother that would cross an ocean if that was the only way she could see her children---she'd make excuses as to why she couldn't. Her mental illness won't allow her to love. Love, to her, is merely believing she loves her kids and nothing more. She can love with superficial words, empty promises, and superficial actions, but cannot love from within her heart. To give her the benifit of the doubt, she did have a horrible childhood. Grew up in a third world country, was raped by her father and witnessed a lot of violence. Regardless of WHY she's programmed the way she is, the result is the same: she cannot love. She's a sociopath who today doesn't live with any of her 3 children and rather spends her time partying, drinking and using drugs. She calls from time to time "overjoyed" to talk to the kids, then disappears for months on end. It's a vicious cycle. There's debates as to whether or not sociopaths are capable of loving their children. I can't make an assessment for everyone; however, in this case, I think the answer is clear---I don't believe she is CAPABLE of loving, not even her own children. In conclusion, I do think some women are born to be bad, unfit mothers. I also think there may be contributing factors as to why they are the way the are but that still doesn't change the outcome.
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