Study shows mums and dads most definitely DO have a favourite child

Many of you who judge from personal experience may think that the following is most definitely the opposite way around. But we suppose all families and cultures are different, right?

Researchers conducted four experiments in the US and India, measuring the spending habits of parents. In one experiment, they were told they had to give a $25 treasury bond to only one of their children.   In another parents had to choose which child would be entered into a 'back-to-school supplies competition' and finally… they had to choose who would receive more in their will. Ooo! Things just got interesting... Basically, mothers chose daughters and fathers chose sons. Women favoured daughters 76 percent of the time, while men favoured sons 87 percent of the time. Surprised? The study, published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, pointed out that people are more likely to spend money on things that align with their own identity. So, if mum identifies with her daughter’s needs, it’s believed that she will boost her sense of identity through her child. And of course, this is the same for dad and his son. Assistant Professor of marketing at the State University of New York, Lambrianos Nikiforidis, said;

“Even though parents say they do not have a favourite, they also admit they do not actively track investment in each child, which leaves room for bias. “When men control the family’s financial decisions, then sons may chronically receive more resources than daughters. By contrast, if women are the primary shoppers, this can result in subtle but consistent favouritism for daughters.”

Researchers also suggest that although this study was focused on parents, the findings indicate that “sex-matching bias” could translate into corporate and political power, organizations, schools and beyond.