Attachment- multiple attachments and role of father Flashcards
How has modern society changed in regards to the role of mothers and fathers
Mothers are far more likely to work (5.3 million in 2013)
Stay at home fathers are on the increase (14% of stay at home parents are male - more up to date stats, correct this in your books)
10% of single parents in the UK are male
Mothers are far more likely to work (. million in 2013)
Stay at home fathers are on the increase (__% of stay at home parents are male - more up to date stats, correct this in your books)
__% of single parents in the UK are male
5.3
14
10
What are the three mediating factors that relate to the type of attachment a father has with his children
And what are they
Interaction - how much the father engages with the child;
Accessibility - how physically and emotionally accessible he is;
Responsibility - the extent to which he takes on ‘caretaking’ tasks
What did Gieger find
Fathers’ play interactions are more exciting and pleasurable than mothers’, whilst mothers are more nurturing and affectionate
What did Hrdy find
Fathers were less able than mothers to detect low levels of infants’ distress
What did Lamb find
Fathers who became main caregivers quickly developed more sensitivity to children’s needs. This suggests that sensitive responsiveness is not biologically limited to women.
What did Frodi et al find
Found no differences in the physiological responses of men and women
What did Schaffer and Emerson find
In 75% of the infants studied an attachment was formed with the father by the age of 18 months.
Evaluation, evidence
Geiger
P- There is research support for the idea that fathers play a complementary role to mothers in parenting. For example Gieger
E- Within this study, Gieger found that fathers’ play interactions are more exciting and pleasurable than mothers’, whilst mothers are more nurturing and affectionate This finding supports the importance of the role of fathers because it supports the idea of fathers being playmates rather than caregivers, complementing the mothers role in the child’s development
L- Therefore, this research provides credibility to the theory that the role of the father is equally important to the role of the mothers, having important practical applications when it comes to fraternal rights.
Evaluation, practical applications
P- The findings of research into the role of fathers can be seen to have useful practical applications.
E- For example, research has recognised the importance of fathers in parenting and has given support to legal changes that allow them to be more present in their children’s lives.
For example… (research and outline changes to paternity leave and the emergence of shared parental leave)
L- This means that psychological research into the role of the father has potentially benefitted families.
Evaluation, socially sensitive
P- However, this conclusions of research into the role of fathers is often socially sensitive.
E- For example, the findings of Geiger’s research suggests that it is important for children to have both a father and mother figure in order to develop fully.
Explain how those with alternative family set-ups might find these conclusions unsatisfying… (think about single parents / same sex couples).
L- This means researchers must be careful drawing conclusions from the research into the role of fathers and be careful not to overly generalise their findings, but to acknowledge when there are individual differences.
Evaluation, ethnocentric
P- The research into the role of fathers can be considered to be ethnocentric.
E- This is because most of the research has taken place in individualistic cultures where stereotypical gender roles in terms of parenting may differ from the traditional roles in more collectivist cultures.
L- This means that findings like Geiger’s about the different role of fathers and mothers may not be universal to other cultures.
