“Suppose that a genetic predisposition has evolved for females to engage in childcare if conditions favour it. Describe the developmental trajectory that would lead newborn through adolescent females to be capable of engaging in childcare. Be sure to emphasize the innate mechanisms, type of learning, and specific contexts that should favour the development of this type of capacity.”

Many people, if asked, would agree with the established clich that it is natural for females to become mothers in society and that such a stereotype is rarely debated (Archer & Lloyd, 1982).  This impression is equally supported by the results of diverse research into the maternal instincts of non-human primates, where females are generally seen to exhibit the greatest investment in maintaining the survival of their offspring (Buss, 2004).

Reasons for the different standards of parenting between men and women are not in short supply.  Dawkins (1989) was one of the first evolutionary psychologists to controversially state that we are all selfishly interested in the survival of our own genes through reproductio…(short extract)