attachment - role of the father

Question 1

Outline Grossman’s study into the role of the father

Answer 1

• Longitudinal study
• 44 families
• Grossman found that the quality of mother-child attachment was important when assessing the quality of attachment into adolescence, but this was not the case for father-child attachment, suggesting the role of the father is less important.
• However, it was also found that the quality of father’s play was related to the quality of attachment, suggesting the father’s role may be more of a stimulatory one.

Question 2

Evaluate the role of the father - same-sex/single parent families

Answer 2

If fathers have distinct role, then why are children without fathers not different?

Maccallum (2004) found that children growing up in same sex or single parent families do not develop any differently from children in two parent heterosexual families.

Weakness as it suggests father’s role as secondary attachment figure not important.

Question 3

Outline Field’s experiment into the role of the father

Answer 3

• Filmed fathers who were primary caregivers when interacting with infant.
• Found they spent same amount of time smiling, imitating with infant as primary mothers.
• Suggests fathers can be nurturing attachment figure.

Question 4

Evaluate the role of the father - why?

Answer 4

• Research doesn’t answer question as to why role of father different - biological? societal?
• Weakness of research as doesn’t offer full explanation into the role of the father

Question 5

Evaluate the role of the father - inconsistent findings

Answer 5

• Research into fathers as primary and secondary attachment figures - Research into secondary attachment figures suggests fathers have a separate role, whereas research into primary attachment figures suggests they can take on ‘maternal’ role.
• Weakness as can’t answer question - what is role of father?

Question 6

What did Schaffer and Emerson find about an infant’s attachment to a father?

Answer 6

Schaffer and Emerson (1964) found that infants tend to become attached to the mother first, then form attachments with other figures (such as the father) later on - usually by the age of 18 months.

Question 7

Evaluate role of the father - society or biology?

Answer 7

It is unknown whether fathers don’t become primary attachment figures more often because of the different traditional social roles of men and women, or because women have a biological predisposition towards the primary role.