The Evolutionary Basis of Sex Differences in Parenting and Its Relationship with Child Anxiety in Western Societies

In this review, we discuss the evolutionary basis of differences in paternal and maternal parenting behavior in Western societies and apply this to the intergenerational transmission of anxiety. The different specializations that males and females developed during the course of human evolution (e.g., social competition, risk taking, taking chances for males, and care, nurturing, intimate bonding for females), are expected to be reflected in...