Why do some dads get more involved than others? Evidence from a large British cohort

(2008) - D Nettle

Journal: Evolution and Human Behavior
Link:: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1090513808000639
DOI:: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2008.06.002
Links::
Tags:: #paper #NCDS #SocialClass #Gender #Family
Cite Key:: [@Nettle2008]

Abstract

Previous studies in developed-world populations have found that fathers become 2 more involved with their sons than their daughters, and become more involved 3 with their children if they are of high socioeconomic status (SES) than if they are 4 of low SES. This paper addresses the idea proposed by Kaplan and colleagues 5 that this pattern arises because high-SES fathers and fathers of sons can make 6 more difference to offspring outcomes. Using a large longitudinal British data set, 7 I show that paternal involvement in childhood has positive associations with 8 offspring IQ at age 11, and offspring social mobility by age 42, though not with 9 numbers of grandchildren. For IQ, there is an interaction between father’s SES 10 and his level of involvement, with high-SES fathers making more difference to the 11 child’s IQ by their investment than low-SES fathers do. The effects of paternal 12 investment on the IQ and social mobility of sons and daughters were the same. 13 Results are discussed with regards to the evolved psychology and social 14 patterning of paternal behaviour in humans.

Notes

“fathers become 2 more involved with their sons than their daughters, and become more involved 3 with their children if they are of high socioeconomic status (SES) than if they are 4 of low SES” (Nettle, 2008, p. 2)