Scientists Studied 130 Newborns—There Was Difference Just Hours After Birth
The lead researcher told Newsweek that sex differences can be seen not only in the brain, but in the behavior.
A recent University of Cambridge study examined 130 newborns to explore whether differences in attention to faces emerge immediately after birth. The findings, published in Biology of Sex Differences, reveal female infants exhibited stronger interest in face-like images than male infants, despite having minimal exposure to the surrounding environment.
Lead researcher Yumnah Khan, a PhD student, stated that previous studies had reported similar findings over two decades ago, but doubts about the validity of the effect were raised due to methodological concerns. Khan and her team overcame these issues by employing more rigorous experimental methods, resulting in consistent findings.
They speculated that early sex differences in brain function could manifest as early behavioral differences, as seen in this study. However, they emphasized that further research is needed to determine the exact causes of these early sex differences and their potential impact on developmental conditions affecting social interaction.
The study also highlights the importance of understanding how newborns process social information, as early behaviors may provide clues about later cognitive and behavioral development.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
