Attachment- Role Of The Father

Question 1

Describe Grossmans role of the father study (playmate)

Answer 1

Longitudinal study assessing both parents behaviour and relationship with quality of child’s attachment into their teens.
mother: quality of infant at attachment affects quality of adolescent relationships, quality of play did not impact.
father: quality of infant attachment did not impact, quality of play did.
Suggests fathers play role of the playmate.

Question 2

Describe Fields study of role of the father (caregiver)

Answer 2

Filmed four month old babies and face-to-face interactions with primary caregiver mothers and primary caregiver fathers. Both spent more time smiling, imitating, holding. behaviour seems is more important than gender.

Question 3

What is a strength of role of the father (playmate)?

Answer 3

Hrdy found that fathers are biologically less fit to be primary caregivers- less able to detect low levels of infant distress- lack of oestrogen.
High internal validity.
Could also be a weakness- biologically deterministic

Question 4

What are two weaknesses of role of the father?

Answer 4

Inconsistent findings.
Some psychologists assessing fathers as primary attachment figures, some secondary. Inconsistency.
Low reliability.

Could be result of traditional gender roles.
Women expected to be caring/ nurturing-fathers don’t feel like they should act that way and build strong attachments.
Low internal validity