Whom Are Newborn Babies Said to Resemble?

We tested a series of hypotheses derived from the view that allegations of resemblance of newborns are motivated responses to the problem of uncertain paternity. Paternal resemblance was alleged far more ofien than maternal resemblance by videotaped mothers immediately after birth and by questionnaire respondents (mothers, fathers, and relatives on both sides). This bias was evident for infants of both sexes, albeit for sons more than for daughters. It is evidently normative to remark paternal similarity: 25 parents reported that “everyone ” “many people,” or the like had so commented, whkeas there were no reports of similarly consensual allegations of maternal resemblance. Although fathers’ questionnaire responses were themselves biased toward paternal resemblance, many fathers betrayed skepticism or reserve about such allegations, both by their comments when present at the birth and in their replies to the comments of relatives. Maternal allegations of paternal resemblance were significantly related to birth order and naming practices, in ways predicted from the proposition that mothers endeavor to promote paternity confidence.