Yeah, absolutely. So the idea of maternal instinct is definitely something that comes up a lot, and it does have a basis in both biology and observation. In human beings, we often talk about a maternal instinct as that kind of natural tendency for mothers to want to nurture and protect their children. And we do see that in a lot of other mammals too. So it’s not unique to humans—many mammalian species have strong nurturing behaviors from mothers. Think about a lioness with her cubs or a mother elephant with her calf. There’s definitely a biological underpinning there.

But at the same time, it’s important to remember that humans are also shaped a lot by culture. So what we think of as “maternal instinct” can also be influenced by social expectations and the way we raise children in different societies. And fathers, of course, can have strong nurturing instincts too. It’s not solely a maternal thing.

In short, yes, there’s definitely a biological element that we share with other mammals, but how it plays out can vary a lot based on our culture and our individual experiences.