Multiple attachments and role of the father AO3

Question 1

What are the strengths of the research into role of the father?

Answer 1

• it has real life application as it can be used to reduce the pressure on both mothers and fathers when chosing who should stay at home with the children
• this is because it reassures them that it’s okay for either parent to stay at home
• and it shows that for single mothers and lesbian couples that not having a father doesn’t affect the child

Question 2

What are the limitations of the research into the role of the father?

Answer 2

• there is conflicting evidence as grossman suggests that fathers as secondary caregivers play an important role which suggest that lesbian parents’ and single mothers’ children will turn out differently, however, McCallum and Golombok showed that that isn’t the case
• roles is also dictated by social and biological, because social expectations of women (expected to be caring and sensitive) and hormonal effects (oestrogen vs testosterone)

Question 3

What counter arguments are there?

counter to a weakness

Answer 3

the research doesn’t necissarily conflict because it could be that in heterosexual relationships there are already distinctive roles and in lesbian and single mother families they ahve adapted to their situation