Grandmothers' Brains Show Distinct Response to Grandchildren, Emory University Research Finds
A fascinating new study from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, provides scientific evidence for what many families have long suspected: grandmothers relate to their grandchildren in fundamentally different ways than they do to their own adult children. The research, led by anthropology professor James Rilling, offers intriguing insights into the evolutionary biology of grandmothering and its impact on family dynamics.
Brain Imaging Reveals Empathy Differences
Professor Rilling and his team conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans on approximately 50 grandmothers who each had at least one biological grandchild between the ages of 3 and 12. The researchers monitored brain activity while participants viewed photographs of their grandchildren, the children's parents (often the grandmothers' own adult children), and images of unrelated children and adults.
"When grandmothers viewed pictures of their grandchildren, they particularly activated brain regions that have been implicated in emotional empathy, such as the insular and secondary somatosensory cortices," explained Rilling, whose findings were published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Emotional empathy, as Rilling clarified, represents the ability to genuinely feel what another person is experiencing emotionally. This contrasts with what researchers observed when grandmothers looked at photos of their adult children.
Different Empathy Types for Different Relationships
"When viewing pictures of the grandchild's same-sex parent, who was often but not always the grandmother's own adult biological child, they particularly activated areas of the brain involved with cognitive empathy such as the precuneus," Rilling noted.
Cognitive empathy, sometimes called theory of mind, involves understanding intellectually what someone else might be thinking or feeling, without necessarily sharing the emotional experience. This distinction between emotional and cognitive empathy activation patterns provides compelling evidence for different neurological responses to grandchildren versus adult children.
Comparing Grandmothers to Fathers
The Emory research team had previously conducted a similar study involving fathers viewing pictures of their children. When comparing data between these groups, grandmothers demonstrated stronger activation than fathers in brain regions associated with both emotional empathy and reward/motivation pathways.
Rilling emphasized that individual variation exists within these groups, noting that some fathers scored higher on empathy measures than some grandmothers. However, the overall patterns revealed significant differences in how grandmothers neurologically process relationships with different generations.
The Evolutionary Context of Grandmothering
As an anthropologist, Rilling approaches this research with particular interest in human evolution. "I am interested in the ways in which humans are similar to and different from other primates," he explained. "One interesting difference is the way we raise our offspring. Great ape mothers raise their offspring all by themselves. Human mothers, on the other hand, typically receive help in raising their offspring."
This research builds upon the "grandmother hypothesis" proposed by anthropologist Kristen Hawkes in the 1980s and 1990s. This evolutionary theory suggests that human females survive well beyond their reproductive years specifically to assist in raising subsequent generations, thereby ensuring the survival of their genetic legacy.
"There is considerable evidence that grandmothers can contribute to grandchild well-being," Rilling affirmed, highlighting the important role grandmothers play in many family structures across different societies.
Grandmothers' Perspectives on Their Relationships
Several grandmothers shared their personal experiences that align with the study's findings. Marion Conway, a grandmother of three who blogs at The Grandma Chronicles, observed that relationships with grandchildren often involve less stress and more enjoyment.
"Since you are not really an authority figure to your grandchildren ― rather you're a promoter or supporter ― both of you are more open to a stress-free relationship," she explained.
Donne Davis, founder of the GaGa Sisterhood online community for grandmothers, noted that she connects with her three grandchildren differently because she approaches these relationships without the history and responsibilities she shares with her adult children.
"Parenting can be a more adversarial relationship with power struggles, boundary-setting, some ego and definite responsibility for how your child will turn out," Davis reflected. "You just love them unconditionally and think everything they do and say is wonderful and exceptional."
The Joy of Grandparenting Without Daily Responsibilities
Lisa Carpenter, a Colorado grandmother of six and author of "A Love Journal: 100 Things I Love About Grandma," acknowledged that grandmothers often get to enjoy "the fun stuff" while avoiding the more challenging aspects of child-rearing they experienced with their own children.
"The biggest difference being that my grandchildren tend to elicit strong feelings of joy and delight in me compared to my adult children," Carpenter shared. "Even an intense curiosity about who they are, what's going on in their little minds, what interests them, who and what they will become."
Carpenter also noted the practical advantage many grandmothers appreciate: "Usually, by the time the kids are tired and grandma's tired, it's time for the kids to leave, and the parents get to deal with crankiness and crying, while grandma gets a break. That is when this grandma has stronger feelings for her adult children — feelings of gratitude."
Rilling suggested that the special bond between grandmothers and grandchildren might relate to children's "cute" phenotype, which evolution has designed to make adults find them endearing and motivate caregiving behaviors. This research provides scientific validation for the unique emotional connections many families observe between generations, while opening new avenues for understanding human social evolution and family dynamics.
