"Alloparents: The Solution to the Tough and Lonely Job of Bringing Up a Baby"
A new study suggests that human parents are psychologically adapted to raise children cooperatively, with the help of alloparents or "other parents." Research conducted among hunter-gatherer communities in the Congo and the Philippines reveals that mothers receive significant support from a network of caregivers, reducing the burden of intensive parenting. However, in Western societies, mothers often face isolation and high expectations to provide sole care for their infants, leading to a mismatch between evolutionary adaptation and societal norms. This mismatch, along with the lack of social support, may contribute to high rates of postpartum depression. The study highlights the need for societal changes and policies that provide parents with more social support to alleviate the challenges of child-rearing.
