How fatherhood may reshape men, families, and ideas about masculinity
This preview is based only on the episode’s show notes. Ologies talks with USC psychologist and fatherhood researcher Dr. Darby Saxbe about the science and culture of dads, from hormones and caregiving to toxic masculinity, family systems, and the surprisingly wide world of fatherhood research.
This episode looks like a broad, science-forward conversation about what fatherhood is, what makes it meaningful, and how it can affect both men and families. Based on the show notes, host Alie Ward speaks with Dr. Darby Saxbe, a USC research psychologist and author of *Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men’s Lives*. If you’re curious about fatherhood beyond clichés, this seems designed to cover both biology and culture. The notes point to discussion of male hormones during and after pregnancy, oxytocin, division of labor, and even the idea of the “dad bod,” alongside bigger questions about what makes a good dad and what happens when someone grows up with a bad one. The scope also appears unusually wide: prehistoric family systems, social media expectations, TV dads, gender reveals, community caregiving, and examples from the animal world like gorillas, seahorses, and even frogs. The mention of trans dads suggests the conversation aims for a more inclusive view of fatherhood rather than a narrow one. Who is this for? Probably anyone interested in parenting, gender roles, family psychology, or how caregiving might challenge toxic masculinity. Even if you’re not a parent, the show notes frame this as relevant to basically anyone who comes from a family—which is to say, most listeners. As a preview based on the published notes, this sounds like an accessible entry point into the science of dads with plenty of social context and Ologies-style curiosity.
About this episode
<p>DADS. What makes a good one? What if you had a bad one? And how can fatherhood turn the tides on toxic masculinity? Also: diapers. The brilliant USC research psychologist, fatherhood expert, and thus Paternologist Dr. Darby Saxbe covers everything from prehistoric family systems to social media expectations as we chat about male hormones during and after pregnancy, division of labor, dad bods, gorillas, TV dads, seahorses, trans dads, oxytocin, gender reveals, and how it truly takes a community to raise a kid. Her brand new book is “Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How it Shapes Men's Lives,” and it’s great reading for anyone who was the result of a sperm and egg. Including frogs.</p> <p>Visit Dr. Saxbe’s <a href="https://www.darbysaxbe.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a> and follow her on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/darbysaxbephd/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/darbysaxbe.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a>, <a href="https://darbysaxbe.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Substack</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@darbysaxbephd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></p> <p>Buy her book, <a href="https://www.darbysaxbe.com/dadbrain" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><i>Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men’s Lives</i></a></p> <p>A donation went to <a href="https://homeboyindustries.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Homeboy Industries</a></p> <p><a href="https://zachbogart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Zach Bogart</a>’s “Oh hey” cataloguer site <a href="https://ohheyitsthe.site/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ohheyitsthe.site</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/paternology" rel="noopener noreferrer">More episode sources and links</a></p> <p>Other episodes you may enjoy: <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/pridemonth" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pride Month: Guests to Know and Love</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/genealogy" rel="noopener noreferrer">Genealogy (FAMILY TREES)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/matrimoniology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Matrimoniology (MARRIAGE)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/evolutionary-biology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Evolutionary Biology (DARWINISM)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/trolleyology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trolleyology (MORAL DILEMMAS + THE TROLLEY PROBLEM)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/personalitypsychology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/molecularneurobiology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/neuroendocrinology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Neuroendocrinology (SEX & GENDER)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/sexology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sexology (SEX)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/biogerontology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Biogerontology (AGING)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/mammalogy" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mammalogy (MAMMALS)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/dasyurology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dasyurology (TASMANIAN DEVILS)</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies-by-topic" rel="noopener noreferrer">400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topic</a></p> <p><a href="https://pod.link/1746567248" rel="noopener noreferrer">Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes</a></p> <p><a href="https://alieward.com/ologies-sponsors" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sponsors of Ologies</a></p> <p><a href="https://alieward.com/ologies-extras" rel="noopener noreferrer">Transcripts and bleeped episodes</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.patreon.com/ologies" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Become a patron of Ologies</a> for as little as a buck a month</p> <p><a href="https://www.ologiesmerch.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OlogiesMerch.com</a> has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!</p> <p>Follow Ologies on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ologies" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/ologies.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a></p> <p>Follow Alie Ward on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alieward" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@alie_ologies" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TikTok</a></p> <p>Editing by Mercedes Maitland of <a href="http://maitlandaudio.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Maitland Audio Productions</a> and <a href="https://www.jecmusic.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jake Chaffee</a></p> <p>Managing Director: Susan Hale</p> <p>Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth</p> <p>Transcripts by Aveline Malek </p> <p>Website by <a href="https://www.kellyrdwyer.com/photo" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kelly R. 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