What's happened
New evidence suggests girls among newborns show a stronger preference for human faces than boys at around 33 hours old. The Cambridge study points to biological factors, such as prenatal hormones, but notes that results are not yet predictive of long-term behavior and that further follow-up is needed.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- What this means: The study indicates that sex differences in attention to faces may be present at birth, hinting at biological drivers but not guaranteeing future behavioral patterns.
- What it doesn’t prove: Long-term persistence of these differences or their impact on later development.
- Implications: If robust, these findings could influence how researchers study early cognitive development and the role of prenatal hormones and socialization.
- Questions to ask: How large are the observed effects across different populations? Do follow-up studies show persistence or convergence over time?
How we got here
Researchers in Cambridge played side-by-side videos for newborns aged 8 hours to 3 days, tracking attention to faces versus a Newton’s cradle. The study, published in Biology of Sex Differences, suggests early biological factors may influence social attention, while acknowledging substantial individual variation.
Our analysis
The Guardian reports on a Cambridge study finding newborn girls spend a larger share of attention on faces than boys at around 33 hours old, implying possible prenatal influences; The New York Post provides broader coverage of the same topic with additional context, including potential links to later development. Both sources note variability and the need for follow-up.
Go deeper
- Could these early differences predict later social or cognitive traits?
- Will follow-up studies confirm persistence into toddlerhood?
- How do these findings align with prior research on sex differences at birth?
More on these topics
-
The Guardian - Newspaper
The Guardian is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian, and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers The Observer and The Guardian Weekly, The Guardian is part of the Guardian Media Group, owned by the S
-
United Kingdom - Country in Europe
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the northwestern coast of the European mainland.
-
University of Cambridge - Collegiate university in Cambridge, England
The University of Cambridge is a collegiate research university in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by King Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's fo