Multiple attachments & role of father

Question 1

Role of the father traditionally?

Answer 1

• Played minor role in parenting
• Mothers stayed at home & fathers worked
• Unknown whether fathers became PAF due to traditional social roles/women predisposition towards PAF
• Single parent families/working mother/same sex PAF’s were rare

Question 2

Role of the father in modern times?

Answer 2

• Mothers more likely to work (71.2% working 2020 office of national statistics)
• Stay at home fathers on the increase (10% carers while partner works)
• 9% of single parents (UK) male
• Stats show Fathers have a larger role in parenting

Question 3

What 3 mediating factors relate to the type of attachment a father has with his children?

Answer 3

1. Interaction (time engaged with kid)
2. Accessibility (Physical & emotional availability)
3. Responsibility (caretaking tasks)

Question 4

What are the 3 different research pieces on role of fathers in attachment?

Answer 4

1. Hrdy (1999)/Lamb (1987): sensitivity of fathers
2. Frodi (1978): Biological differences
3. Geiger (1996): Different Roles

Question 5

Explain research into sensitivity?

Answer 5

• Hrdy (1999)
• Found: fathers less likely to detect distress in their kids
• Less suitable for being a caregiver
• Lamb (1987)
• Found: fathers who became main caregivers, developed sensitivity quickly to their Kids needs
• Research showed importance of sensitivity & indicate differences in males & females, down to difference in time spent with kids vs biology

Question 6

Explain research into biological differences?

Answer 6

• Frodi (1978)
• Evidence challenging ‘mothers have better biological response to infant distress’
• Showed vids of infants crying
• Found no differences in physiological responses between men & women
• biological factors may not explain gender differences in attachment relations with infant/caregiver relations
• Challenges view that fathers have less biological motivation to attach to their kids

Question 7

Explain research into different roles?

Answer 7

• Geiger (1996)
• Found fathers play a different role to mothers
• Fathers ‘play’ interactions are more exciting & pleasurable than mothers
• Mothers tend to be nurturing & affectionate vs fathers
• Indicates females & males play different roles but complement each other
• Both roles are important vs a hierarchical system promoted by biology

Question 8

AO3 role of father
Research support?
Geiger (1996)

Answer 8

P - Research support that fathers play complementary role to mothers from Geiger (1996)
E - Found fathers play & interactions more exciting than mothers because mothers are more affectionate instead
E - Finding supports importance of role of fathers
- Suggests they play different roles but balance each other out
L - Both roles are important vs a hierarchical system promoted by biology

Question 9

AO3 role of father
Socially sensitive?

Answer 9

P - Research into role of father is socially sensitive
E - Findings of Geiger research suggests it is important for children to have both father & mother in order to fully develop
E - Geiger’s research based on nuclear family units vs modern times (71.2% mothers work) with stay at home fathers at 10%
L - Research should be careful in concluding research into role of fathers
- Research should acknowledge the modern landscape of families so inclusive & replicable

Question 10

AO3 role of father
Practical applications?

Answer 10

P - Useful practical applications recognising the role fathers play in parenting & supports legal changes to allow them to be more present in Kids lives
E - Introduction of paternity leave & shared parental leave shows role of father is respected more than traditionally viewed
E - Due to covid more men working from home meaning they had greater time with the kids
- Geiger’s research means this would improve attachment development
L - Suggests psych research benefits families by introducing more flexibility & equity into lives
- So easier to manage their lives for the benefit of their children

Question 11

AO3 role of father
Ethnocentric?

Answer 11

P - Research into role of father could be seen as ethnocentric
E - Most research taken place in individualistic cultures where parenting gender roles may differ from roles in collectivistic cultures
- Implies Geiger’s findings may not be applicable to other cultures
L - Problem because research cannot benefit caregivers & infant on a global basis
- Cannot create general nomothetic laws