Psychology behind grandparents loving their grandchildren more than their children: There is a familiar family joke that grandparents seem to love their grandchildren more than they ever loved their own children. They spoil them, forgive their tantrums, shower them with attention and often seem far more relaxed than they were while raising their own children. But is there actually a psychological or neurological reason behind this difference?
Research from Emory University offers an intriguing explanation. A 2021 study examined the brain activity of grandmothers as they looked at photographs of their grandchildren and adult children. The researchers found that the two relationships activated different patterns of empathy in the brain.
