The "Face" Bias vs. The "Toy" Bias
Visual Preference: It is true that newborns and infants have an innate preference for looking at faces over objects. This is a survival mechanism (bonding/socializing).
Tactile/Play Preference: When it comes to playing with toys, this visual preference does not automatically translate to preferring figurines.
The Gender Split: Research (including studies on rhesus monkeys) consistently shows a biological divergence in toy preference appearing as early as 9–12 months:
Female infants generally show a stronger preference for social toys (dolls, faces, plush figures).
Male infants generally show a stronger preference for mechanical toys (trucks, cars, balls, moving parts).
Visual Attention
Babies prefer looking at faces (human figures) over objects.
Play Choice
Preferences split by gender:
Female Infants: Show a statistically significant preference for dolls (and faces in general).
Male Infants: Show a statistically significant preference for trucks and mechanical objects (toys with wheels or moving parts).
Male monkeys preferred wheeled toys.
Female monkeys preferred plush dolls.
Conclusion: This suggests the preference is hormonal and evolutionary, not just social. Females (historically the nurturers) may be hardwired to seek out "faces," while males (historically the hunters/builders) may be hardwired to seek out "movement" and "objects." Dolls are one of the oldest human toys, found in ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt. However, these were usually adult figures (representing gods or grown women)
The Newborn Stage (0–3 months).
At this age, all babies (boys and girls) have a high visual preference for faces.
If you show a newborn a picture of a face and a picture of a car, they will look at the face.
However: This is a visual preference (looking), not a play preference (reaching/grabbing). Once they are old enough to reach for toys (6+ months), the gender split mentioned above usually kicks in.
Summary Table
Why?