Photo: Miska Sinisalo
In her doctoral dissertation, M.A. Hanneli Sinisalo explored how first-time mothers and women without children differ in socio-affective responses that are essential for social interaction, and whether these differences are associated with hormonal factors. The results suggest that first-time mothers respond to infants’ emotional signals in partly distinct ways: a baby’s smile may elicit stronger approach and empathic responses, while crying may result in sustained bodily arousal. Lower testosterone levels were also consistently linked with caregiving behaviour and motivation toward infant emotions in both mothers and women without children. The findings shed light on how the transition to parenthood shapes social information processing and why the first year of parenthood may feel both deeply sensitising and demanding.
The doctoral dissertation of Master of Arts (Psychology) Hanneli Sinisalo, entitled What Are New Mothers Made of? Social-affective and hormonal responses to infant signals in first-time mothers and non-mothers, in the field of Psychology, will be publicly examined at the Faculty Social Sciences at Tampere University on Friday 28 August.
The opponent will be Docent Sari Ahlqvist-Björkroth from the University of Turku. The Custos will be Associate Professor Mikko Peltola from the Faculty of Social Sciences.