Attachment - role of the father

Question 1

what is attachment to fathers

Answer 1

Schaffer and Emerson
- 3% of babies primary attachment was father
- 27% joint attachment with mother and father
- fathers become important figures later on
- 75% of observed babies formed attachment with fathers by 18 months

Question 2

what did Grossman research

Answer 2

• longitudinal study (2002)
• babies attachment studied into teens
• quality of baby’s attachment related to mothers but not to fathers in adolescence
• attachment to fathers is less important
• fathers quality of play was related to the quality of adolescence attachments
• fathers have a different role to mothers - play and stimulation rather than emotional development

Question 3

how are fathers attachment figures

Answer 3

Tiffany Field (1978)
- filmed 4 month babies in face to face interactions with primary caregiver mothers, primary caregiver fathers and secondary caregiver fathers
- primary figures spent more time smiling, imitating and holding than secondary
- fathers have the potential to be a more emotion-focused attachment figure - many only express as the primary

Question 4

what are the strengths of the role of the father

Answer 4

Real World Application
- prospective parents have to choose primary figure
- stereotypical views of mothers
- offer reassuring advice to parents that fathers can be primary
- lesbian and single mothers that a child not having a father doesn’t hinder development

• role of father can be accommodated in some relationships

Question 5

what are the limitations of the role of the father

Answer 5

Confusion over research
- lack of clarity over ‘what is the role of the father’
- some researches concerned with them being secondary figures and others primary
- stereotypes in play

Conflicting evidence
- fathers have an important role in play and stimulation in a child’s development
- expect children without fathers would be different from two-heterosexual parents
- shown that the children don’t develop any differently

Question 6

what did Bowlby say

Answer 6

• fathers can fill a role closely resembling a mother
• uncommon in most cultures
• father is more likely to engage in physically active play than the mother