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Why do Mommy and Daddy Love You More? An Investigation of Parental Favoritism from an Evolutionary Perspective

Lauricella, Anthony Michael
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1250869200

Abstract Details

2009, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, Psychology/Clinical.
The current study examined the roles of parental certainty and offspring's ability to convert parental investment into fitness benefits for the parent (via social competitiveness) in predicting parental favoritism. Participants were college students who had at least one fully-biological sibling. Participants completed a series of on-line questionnaires that assessed their personal experiences regarding parental favoritism (or non-favoritism) with each biological parent. Additionally, they completed questionnaires that assessed their levels of health, intelligence, ambition, physical attractiveness, and parental resemblance relative to their sibling. As expected, results indicated that paternal resemblance predicted paternal favoritism, whereas maternal resemblance did not predict maternal favoritism. Additionally, in partial support of a hypothesis, fathers were shown to demonstrate favoritism in more specific areas than were mothers. Contrary to predictions, health, offspring intelligence, ambition, and physical attractiveness did not consistently predict parental favoritism. Discussion centers on the implications of the findings, offers possible explanations regarding why certain expected results were not obtained, and makes recommendations for future research.
Anne Gordon, PhD (Committee Chair)
Eric Dubow, PhD (Committee Member)
Richard Anderson, PhD (Committee Member)
Jorge Chavez, PhD (Committee Member)
135 p.
Psychology
Parental Favoritism; Paternal Certainty; Sociocompetitive Characteristics; Fitness; Evolutionary Psychology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lauricella, A. M. (2009). Why do Mommy and Daddy Love You More? An Investigation of Parental Favoritism from an Evolutionary Perspective [Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1250869200

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lauricella, Anthony. Why do Mommy and Daddy Love You More? An Investigation of Parental Favoritism from an Evolutionary Perspective. 2009. Bowling Green State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1250869200.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lauricella, Anthony. "Why do Mommy and Daddy Love You More? An Investigation of Parental Favoritism from an Evolutionary Perspective." Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1250869200

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1250869200
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© 2009, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.