Mother as primary care giver debate

Question 1

For - feeding

Answer 1

NHS recommends infants are breastfed for 1st 6 months to protect infant from several infections/diseases and the mother is vital for an infant’s emotional development (without this = reduce child’s life expectancy + damage emotional development.)

Question 2

Against - feeding

Answer 2

Schaffer + Emerson (1964) - found primary attachments were not formed with the person who fed or spent most time with infant - it was those who responded to the infant’s signals quickly (so either male or female could do this.)

Question 3

For - Freud’s view

Answer 3

In his theory of psychosexual stages - mother is vital for development as 1st oral stage requires oral gratification (feeding from the mother) and claimed the ‘mother love is a prototype for every relationship the infant will go on to have in their lifetime’

Question 4

Against - Freud’s view

Answer 4

• Freud acknowledged the importance of the father espacially for a son’s development (to successfully complete the Oedipus complex.)
• Freud theory outdated (1930s) - his ideas of the mother and father roles are based off society norms of the time.

Question 5

For - deprivation damage

Answer 5

• Bowlby’s maternal deprivation hypothesis shows a mother-infant bond is vital for infant’s development - breaking this bond could cause long term consequences - infant grows up to have affectionless characteristics (more likely to become a criminal) - shows psychological harm could happen if mother isn’t primary care-giver.

Question 6

Against - deprivation damage

Answer 6

Bowlby stated that anyone can fill the ‘mother’ role - mothering is not exclusive to child’s mother.

Question 7

For - Mother’s not fathers

Answer 7

Men are not psychologically equipped to form intense emotional relationships + women have the hormone oestrogen which is linked to caring behaviour - therefore women are more physiologically suited to the mothering role vs men.

Question 8

Against - Mother’s not fathers

Answer 8

Gettler (2011) suggested a father’s testosterone levels drop to adapt to respond to an infant’s needs more sensitively and quickly.

Question 9

Cultural bias issue + study example

Answer 9

• Many of the studies took place in Western culture, (Western findings imposed on other cultures - imposed etic) - cannot be accurately applied to all cultures.
• E.g. Ijzendoorn and Krooenberg (1988) - did a meta-analysis about child rearing + attachment - found Israeli children are reared in communal living - so are used to being separated from mothers - showing the importance of the mother as primary care-giver varies across cultures + this debate may not exist in Eastern cultures.

Question 10

Against - Mother’s not fathers - (gay parents)

Answer 10

Abbie Goldberg, a psychologist from Clark University, stated “gay parents tend to be more motivated, more committed than heterosexual parents on average, because they chose to be parents.” There is a 50% accidental pregnancy rate for heterosexual parents - gay parents are more likely to be prepared to support an infant financially + be able to provide a good quality of life = two fathers could be more beneficial.

Question 11

Against - feeding (men + women response)

Answer 11

Frodi et al (1978) showed videotapes of distressed infants to both males and females and found no differences in the biological responses of men and women, and that males responded with an equal amount of empathy as the females.

Question 12

Ethical implications

Answer 12

Prejudices/stereotypes of the father being unable to take care of a child as well as the mother + same sex male parents looked down on of those who believe the mother should be the PCG.

Question 13

Economic implications

Answer 13

• If the mother has to be PCG - they would be unable to work - cause problems for the cost of living.
• April 2015 - parents can have a ‘shared parental leave’ = more cost effective as job load can be shared + less pressure on mother.

Question 14

Conclusion of debate

Answer 14

• The mother being PCG is vital for the first 6 months of the infant’s life, as it is crucial to reduce chances of infections and diseases, so the infant has the best chance of survival. However, after the first 6 months, the father is more than capable taking over being PCG. The father can adapt to react to the infant’s needs just as sensitively and quickly as a mother would.
• “primary care-giver” = misleading - suggests one parent should take care of a child more throughout their development, but both parents have equal importance in a child’s development.