Attachment - role of the father

Question 1

Grossman (2002)

Answer 1

longitudinal study of 44 families comparing attachments between mother and father. father’s play style linked to his internal attachment model. father’s more play+stimulation than nurturing and emotional. play sensitivity can predict childs long term attachment to father

Question 2

Bowlby (1988)

Answer 2

father can fill a role resembling mothers but uncommon in most cultures. father is child’s preferred play companion. attachment = how parent has treated child

Question 3

Field (1978)

Answer 3

analysed face to face interactions between primary and secondary fathers and mothers.
secondary caretaker fathers = more game playing and holding infants less
primary caretaker fathers = more like mother, more interactional synchrony and reciprocity

Question 4

Lamb (1997)

Answer 4

infants interact more with their fathers when they are in a positive mood and want to play. however, when mother is absent, fathers can fulfil mothers role but are less sensitive to distress in infants

Question 5

Brown et al (2012)

Answer 5

gender isn’t important but caregiver involvement is most important in forming attachments

Question 6

strengths of research into the role of the father

Answer 6

+ research can be used to offer advice to new parents
father can be primary caregiver but children can function without a father
reassuring and reduce parental anxiety
+ allows mothers to not have to give up work if they don’t want to

Question 7

limitations of research into role of the father

Answer 7

• unclear question ‘role of father’, researchers study primary and secondary caregiver fathers
• 2004 study found children without fathers develop no differently so fathers have no distinct/important role
• numerous influences that may impact child’s attachment to father, impossible to control so difficult to draw conclusions
• doesn’t explain why fathers generally don’t become primary caregivers

Question 8

what are the differences in how mothers and fathers talk to their children

Answer 8

mothers speak in ‘motherese’ and use ‘baby talk’ whereas fathers tend to speak to children similarly to how they speak to adults. fathers help children deal with unfamiliar speech and acquire new language?