parental behavior

in nonhuman animals, the process of preparing for the birth of offspring (often through nest building) and the actions of one or both parents that contribute to the survival or well-being of their young after birth. The latter include (a) nursing or otherwise provisioning the young with food, (b) retrieving behavior or carrying young in species that do not build permanent nests, and (c) weaning the offspring so that they can become independent. Many hormonal controls of parental behavior have been identified in females (as well as in males of those species in which males participate in care of young). Among human beings and other primates, parental behavior is less dependent on hormonal changes and more dependent on sociocultural and experiential factors than among other animals, although hormonal changes do still occur. See also maternal behavior; paternal behavior.

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Psychology term of the day

October 18th 2024

social representation

a system, model, or code for unambiguously naming and organizing values, ideas, and conduct, which enables communication and social exchange (i.e., at the levels of language and behavior) among members of a particular group or community. [term coined and theory elaborated by Romanian-born French psychologist Serge Moscovici (1925– )]