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Cited by 75Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorFamily Dynamics and RelationshipsEvolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

The effects of social context on the hormonal and behavioral responsiveness of human fathers

Storey, Anne E., Noseworthy, Diana E., Delahunty, Krista M., Halfyard, Sarah J., McKay, Donald W.·2011·Hormones and Behavior
DOI 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.07.001
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Abstract

We tested first-time fathers with their 22-month old toddlers to determine whether social context variables such as pre-test absence from the child and presence of the mother affected physiological measures associated with paternal responsiveness. Heart rate and blood pressure readings as well as blood samples to determine prolactin, testosterone and cortisol levels were taken before and after the 30-min father-toddler interactions. Fathers were tested on a day when they were away from their child for several hours before testing ('without-child' day) and on another day where they remained with their child throughout the day ('with-child' day). Most measures decreased over the 30-min test period but relative decreases were context-dependent. Men maintained higher prolactin levels when they were away from their children longer before testing on the 'without-child' day. Cortisol levels decreased during both tests and they decreased more on the 'with-child' day for men who had spent more time alone with their toddler before the test. Heart-rate and diastolic (but not systolic) blood pressure decreased more on the 'with-child' day than on the 'without-child' day. Fathers' testosterone levels decreased when their partners were less involved in the interactions. Compared to men with high responsiveness ratings on both days, men whose responsiveness increased after being away from their child on the 'without-child' day maintained higher systolic blood pressure and had a greater decrease in testosterone levels. We conclude that context may be more important in determining fathers' physiological responses to child contact than has previously been appreciated, particularly for some individuals.

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  • In fathers, cortisol levels increase in response to infant crying, and decrease when they hold their newborn or interact with their toddler.

    “In fathers, cortisol levels increase in response to infant crying (Fleming et al., 2002), and decrease when they hold their newborn (Kuo et al., 2018) or interact with their toddler (Storey, Noseworthy, Delahunty, Halfyard, & McKay, 2011).”

    From Birth of a Father: Fathering in the First 1,000 Days (2019) · cites this paper as Storey et al., 2011

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Authors
Storey, A. E., Noseworthy, D. E., Delahunty, K. M., Halfyard, S. J., & McKay, D. W.
Affiliations
Memorial University of Newfoundland (CA)
Corresponding author
Storey, Anne E.
Venue
Hormones and Behavior
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-09
Volume
60
Issue
4
Pages
353-361
ISSN
0018-506X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.07.001
OpenAlex
W1987716733
Cited by
75
References
67
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 5
FWCI
9.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Hormones and Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • NSERC Discovery
  • Memorial University
  • NSERC
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Keywords
social environment, prolactin, testosterone, cortisol, heart rate, blood pressure, maternal involvement, first-time fathers
MeSH terms
Adult, Algorithms, Behavior, Blood Pressure, Child, Preschool, Father-Child Relations, Fathers, Heart Rate, Hormones, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Play and Playthings, Prolactin, Social Environment, Testosterone, Young Adult

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