Source:
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/06/2 ... abies.html
Lauren Neergaard, Associated Press
June 24, 2009 -- Puzzling new research suggests women have a harder time than men looking at babies with facial birth defects. It's a surprise finding.
Psychiatrists from the Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital, who were studying perceptions of beauty, had expected women to spend more time than men cooing over pictures of extra-cute babies. Nope.
Instead, the small study being published Wednesday raises more questions than it can answer.
First the background: The McLean team already had studied men and women looking at photos of adults' faces on a computer screen. The participants rated facial beauty, and could do various keystrokes to watch the photos longer. A keystroke count showed men put three times more effort into watching beautiful women as women put into watching handsome men.
Lead researcher Dr. Igor Elman wondered what else might motivate women. Enter the new baby study.
