Paper 1 - Attachment - Topic 3 - The Role Of The Father

Question 1

3.3 What has most attachment research focused on?

Answer 1

Mother and baby attachment

Question 2

3.3 Who does the term ‘father’ refer to in the context of attachment research?

Answer 2

A child’s closest male caregiver

Question 3

3.3 What percentage of babies first became attached to their mothers at around 7 months according to Schaffer and Emerson?

Answer 3

The majority

Question 4

3.3 In what percentage of cases was the father the first sole object of attachment?

Answer 4

3%

Question 5

3.3 What percentage of babies formed an attachment with their father by the age of 18 months?

Answer 5

75%

Question 6

3.3 What unique aspect of fathers’ role in attachment is suggested by Grossman et al.’s study?

Answer 6

Fathers have a different role more related to play and stimulation

Question 7

3.3 How is a primary attachment figure defined?

Answer 7

A baby’s relationship with their primary attachment figure forms the basis of all later close emotional relationships

Question 8

3.3 What did Tiffany Field’s study reveal about primary caregiver fathers?

Answer 8

They spent more time smiling, imitating, and holding babies than secondary caregiver fathers

Question 9

3.3 What is a limitation of research into the role of fathers? (AO3)

Answer 9

Lack of clarity over the question being asked

This makes it difficult to offer a simple answer as to the ‘role of the father’. It really depends what specific role is being discussed

Question 10

3.3 What conflicting evidence exists regarding the role of fathers? (AO3)

Answer 10

Children in single-mother and lesbian parent families do not develop differently from those in two-parents heterosexual families

This means that the question as to whether families have a distinctive role remains unanswered

Question 11

3.3 What could explain the lack of difference in development between children from different family structures? (AO3)

Answer 11

Families can adapt to not having a father

Question 12

3.3 How can research into the role of the father be applied in real-world situations? (AO3)

Answer 12

To offer advice to parents about caregiver roles

This means parental anxiety about the role of fathers can be reduced

Question 13

3.3 What stereotype might create bias in research about fathers? (AO3)

Answer 13

The stereotype that fathers are not primary caregivers