Contemporary Debates: Psychodynamic Approach: The mother as primary care-giver of an infant Flashcards
What are the 4 reasons why mothers can be argued to be primary care-givers of infants?
- Feeding
- Freud’s views on the importance of the mother
- Deprivation damage
- Mothers and Fathers from a biological stand point.
Explain “Feeding” as an argument for the mothers as primary care-givers of infants.
State
* The mother is essential for infant survival.
Explain:
* The NHS reports that breastfeeding is the healthiest start for infants because it protects them from disease and infection.
* Mother must be available to feed every 2 hours.
* Father’s are limited to a supporting care-giver role.
Example:
* The NHS recommends that infants are breast fed for at least the first 6 months of their lives.
Explain “Freud’s views on the importance of mother” as an argument for the mothers as primary care-givers of infants.
State
* Freud believed the mother-infant dyad was very important in the oral stage of psychosexual development.
Explain:
* Infants depend on mother to staisfy needs of libido.
* A mother’s love is th prototype for every relationship the infant will go on to have in their lifetime.
Example:
* Overindulgence or frustration leads to emotional problems later in life.
* Separation anxiety caused when infant realises bodily needs not met if separation occurs.
Explain “Mothers not fathers” as an argument for the mothers as primary care-givers of infants.
State
* Men are not psychologically equipped to form intense emotional relationships.
Explain:
* The female hormone oestrogen underlies caring behaviour hence women are more oriented towards emotional relationships.
- Sex stereotypes that make men less sensitive to needs of others, as it is percieved as feminine.
Example:
* Women release oxytocin during breast feeding, forming a bond with the child.
Explain “Deprivation damage” as an argument for the mothers as primary care-givers of infants.
State
* Lack of maternal affection results in lasting emotional effects
Explain:
* Separation is likely to lead to affectionless character, someone who is unable to feel shame, or a sense of responsibility.
- Attatchment to one care-giver is important for survival, as per evolutionary theory. This bond is monotropy.
Example:
* Bowlby’s 44 juvenile thieves study shows that 12/14 affectionless children experienced frequent separation from mother.
* He developed maternal deprivation hypothesis.
Explain “Feeding” as an argument against the mothers as primary care-givers of infants.
State
* Food doesn’t equal love
Explain:
* Food doesn’t equal love. Contact comfort creates an emotional bond, not food, as per Harlow.
Example:
* Harlow (study conducted) showed that infant monkeys, when presented with two wire ‘mothers’, would spend most of their time on the cloth-covered mother, and clinging when scared. They did not cling to the feeding-bottle mother as often.
- Emerson: primary attatchments not formed with perosn who fed or spend more time. Attatched infants had carers who responded quickly and sensitively to signals and offered most interaction.
Explain “Freud’s views on the importance of mother” as an argument against the mothers as primary care-givers of infants.
State
* This concept is a product of historical context, and he had recognised the role of a father.
Explain:
* Women did not have the right to even vote, at the time of Freud’s theories.
* His ideas may reflect the norms and values of early half of the 20th century society.
* He might portray a different picture, had he been alive now.
Example:
* Freud demonstrated the importance of father in development in the Oedipus complex.
* “I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.”
Explain “Deprivation damage” as an argument against the mothers as primary care-givers of infants.
State
* Bowlby did not exclusively refer to biological mother’s in his maternal delprivation hypothesis.
Explain:
* Mothering is not refering to mothers alone, but to mother like substitutes as well.
Example:
* A child chould experience a warm, intimate and continuous relationship with his mother, or a permanent mother substitute.
* Bowlby showed that most children hospitalised with TB, who had little contact with their families had few problems in later life.
Explain “Mothers not fathers” as an argument for the mothers as primary care-givers of infants.
State
* Men are capable of forming close attatchments with their children.
Explain:
* Mothering is not refering to mothers alone, but to mother like substitutes as well.
* The stereotypes are outdates and rooted in misogynistic views of men and women, and their traditional ‘roles’.
* Both parents become hormonally adapted to parenthood.
Example:
* Single father households result in children whom are equally as happy and satisfied as any other child from different circumstances.
* Gettler: father’s testosterone levels drop in order to help a man respond more sensitively to their child.
* Aka tribe: man takes on the care-giving role. 47% of the time, fathers are within reach of children.
Conclusive statements:
- The view is out-of-date: there is no conclusive evidence, and mistakens that children must have one primary caregiver.
- Healthy development is based on multiple relationships, which are healthy secondary attatchments.
- Secondary attatchments provide a vital safety net for when primary caregiver is absent.
- Men provide playfulness, and better at providing challenging situations for their children (Geiger)
What are the Economic and Social implications of “The mother as a primary care-giver of an infant.”?
Economic:
* Increasing industrialisation led to the need for an expanding workforce. Childcare must be provided so the debate about stay at home or work mums began.
- Time off work is provided to both men and women as per 2015. This is shared parental leave. Parents can divide 52 week as they see fit. This is example of movuing away from traditional expectations.
- Economic costs of childcare are significant. Family and Childcare trust reported average annual cost of sending infant to nursery as 9,850 GBP. Goverment in UK introduced a scheme to claim tax relief to incentivise parents to work. The costs are high, but inability to maintain an effective workforce may be higher.
Asses the role of the mother as primary care-giver, including considerations of social and cultural diversity.
