| Summary: | The current study examined whether female and male newborns could be differentiated using physical and behavioural characteristics. Sixteen female and fifteen male newborns were videotaped interacting briefly with a female and male experimenter. Raters coded neonatal physical characteristics, and both neonatal and adult behaviours. Results showed that raters could discriminate the sex of the newborns based upon the degree of cuddliness and activity level. It was also found that adults responded differently with female and male newborns. Finally, the male and female experimenter were found to differ in their behaviours with the newborns. Discussion focuses on the importance of methodological considerations in assessing sex differences in neonatal behaviours, and on the implications of neonatal behavioural sex differences on subsequent parent-child interaction.
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