Who do you feel closer to -- your mom or your dad? In almost every culture in the world, mothers are thought to be more important than fathers during children's development and more likely to build strong bonds with their children. This belief had existed for a long time until scientists started asking a new question: What do fathers contribute to their children besides their genes? They must mean something, or they would have disappeared from children's lives at an earlier time in evolution . So, a new science of fatherhood was born. American journalist Paul Raeburn collected the discoveries over the years and put them into his new book, Do Fathers Matter? What Science Is Telling Us About the Parent We've Overlooked, hoping to make people better see the many ways that fathers influence their children. For example, Ronald Preston Rohner, a scientist at the University of Connecticut, US, spent several years studying how being accepted or rejected by parents influences children's personality. He found that children who are accepted by both their parents are usually independent and hold a positive worldview while those who feel turned down by either parent may turn out hostile and negative. Melanie Horn-Mallers, a psychologist at California State University, found that sons who have happy memories of their fathers are better able to handle day-to-day stress after growing up. Another study, by Richard Koestner at McGill University, Canada, focused on how children develop empathy . After looking at various possible factors, Koestner found one to be more important than others -- how much time their fathers spend with them. "We were amazed to find that how affectionate parents were with their children didn't matter much to the development of empathy," said Koestner. "And we were astounded at how strong the father's influence was." Indeed, evidence shows that fathers make unique contributions to their children's happiness. However, that doesn't mean that children in families without fathers are definitely going to become failures. Just look at US President Barack Obama. He is a great example of what can be achieved by people who grow up in single-mother households. What is the main purpose of the passage?
To find out why children have better bonds with their mothers. To report on a book studying how fathers influence their children. To tell how different in the influences of mothers and fathers on children. To explain what influences children's personality most during their development.