Multiple Attatchments and Role of the Father (AO1)

Question 1

General arguments father IS/ISN’T as important

Answer 1

ISN’T
- fathers traditionally played a minor role in infant development bc ‘breadwinner’
- biologically unequipped bc different hormones
- women have more oestrogen (biologically suited to forming attachments)
- child-rearing is stereotypically feminine bc of cultural/societal expectations

IS
- role of the father is vital for social development
- just as capable of providing sensitive responsiveness + forming a a strong attachment

Question 2

Support/Opposition for importance of the father

Answer 2

SUPPORT:
- Van Ijzendoorn
- Field
- Grossman

OPPOSITION:
- Schaffer & Emerson
- Grossman

Question 3

What did SCHAFFER & EMERSON find regarding research into multiple attachments and the role of the father?

Answer 3

Role of the Father:
- 3% of first attachments were to the father
- majority of infants’ primary attachments were to the mother + father a secondary attachment
(father NOT as important)

Multiple Attachments:
- most infants went on to develop multiple attachments
- 87% had 2 by 18 months

Question 4

What did VAN IJZENDOORN find regarding research into multiple attachments and the role of the father?

Answer 4

• conducted cross cultural research which showed how babies often form multiple attachments right from the onset in collectivist cultures
• this is because families usually work jointly together in everything, including child-rearing

(father IS as important)

Question 5

What did GROSSMAN find regarding research into the role of the father?

Answer 5

longitudinal study on affect parents have on later attachments:

• quality of infant attachment w mothers but not fathers related to child’s attachments in adolescence
  (father NOT as important)
• quality of father’s play w infants related to the quality of adolescent attachments
• suggesting fathers have a different role, more to do w play/stimulation
  (father IS as important)

Question 6

What did FIELD find regarding research into the role of the father?

Answer 6

• filmed 4 month old + compared interaction w primary caregiver mothers, pcg fathers, scg fathers
• found pcg fathers like pcg mothers spent more time smiling, imitating, holding infants in comparison to scg fathers
• suggests fathers can be the more nurturing attachment figure
• key to attachment is level of sensitive responsiveness not gender of parent

(father IS as important)