Father Nature

How and why human males evolved the capacity to be highly involved caregivers—and why some are more involved than others.

We all know the importance of mothers. They are typically as paramount in the wild as they are in human relationships. But what about fathers? In most mammals, including our closest living primate relatives, fathers have little to no involvement in raising their offspring—and sometimes even kill the offspring sired by other fathers. How, then, can we explain modern fathers having the capacity to be highly engaged parents? In Father Nature, James Rilling explores how humans have evolved to endow modern fathers with this potential and considers why this capacity evolved in humans.

Paternal caregiving is advantageous to children and, by extension, to society at large, yet variable both across and within human societies. Rilling considers how to explain this variability and what social and policy changes might be implemented to increase positive paternal involvement. Along the way, Father Nature also covers the impact fathers have on children’s development, the evolution of paternal caregiving, how natural selection adapted male physiology for caregiving, and finally, what lessons an expecting father can take away from the book, as well as what benefits they themselves get from raising children, including increased longevity and “younger” brains.

A beautifully written book by a father himself, Father Nature is a much-needed—and deeply rewarding—look at the science behind “good” paternal behavior in humans.Contents
INTRODUCTION                        
CHAPTER 1: Paternal Influence                  
CHAPTER 2: Transformations                  
CHAPTER 3: Testosterone                     
CHAPTER 4: Oxytocin                     
CHAPTER 5: Brain                        
CHAPTER 6: Norms and Circumstances               
CHAPTER 7: Conclusion“A stimulating debut . . . this competent overview of the development of dads does the trick.” 
—Publishers Weekly

“In his new book . . . Rilling shows how biology has built human dads to play an important role in their children’s lives.”
—The Boston Globe

“A great book for the science-minded person you know.”
—Eagle Times“I highly recommend Father Nature for a balanced, engaging, and accessible account of the empirical and theoretical scholarship on fathers, fatherhood, and father–child relationships, drawing on insights from disciplines as diverse as anthropology, psychology, medicine, and biology.”
—Michael E. Lamb, Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Emeritus Fellow, Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge
 
“With succinct and exceptionally clear summaries of the latest findings from social neuroscience and endocrinology, Rilling highlights the importance of fathers in the lives of their children and offers practical advice for how best to encourage paternal involvement.”
—Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, author of Mother Nature, Mothers and Others, and Father Time
 
“Father Nature takes us on a journey of how males became fathers and shows us that parenting is more than a ‘maternal instinct.’ Delving into the science and history of fatherhood, we are reminded of the importance of fathers in society today.”
—Jodi Pawluski, author of Mommy Brain
 
“A major book that finally presents fatherhood from the angle of biological evolution. A powerful, multidisciplinary work using simple language, both direct and nuanced, and illustrated with examples from the author’s personal life.”
—Daniel Paquette, Professor, School of Psychoeducation, University of MontrealJames K. Rilling is Professor of Psychology and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University, and Director of the Laboratory for Darwinian Neuroscience. He is married and the father of two children.