It’s a myth that baby boys are less social than girls – a new look at decades of research shows all babies are born to connect

A team of neurobehavioral researchers, led by Lise Eliot, conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of six decades of research to determine if baby boys are less social than girls. Their study, which included 40 experiments reported in 31 peer-reviewed studies and nearly 2,000 infants, found no significant difference in social perception between newborn boys and girls. This finding challenges the myth that girls are innately "hardwired" to be more social in early life. The research indicates that all babies are equally primed for social engagement at birth, paying attention to human faces and voices. Dispelling this myth can help parents avoid gender stereotyping and provide every child with the best possible start for connecting with others.