Role of the father

Question 1

why do we traditionally think of mother-infant interaction?

Answer 1

traditional gender roles
female hormones more nurturing
fathers take the role of the ‘playmate’

Question 2

at what age were 75% of infant studies shown to attach to a father

Answer 2

18 months

Question 3

what did Field (1978) study and find?

Answer 3

filmed 4 month old babies in face to face interaction with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers

found primary caregiver fathers spent more time smiling and imitating their kids than primary caregiver mothers

Question 4

what did Freeman et al (2010) find?

Answer 4

male children prefer their father as an attachment figure

also

children are more likely to be attached to their father during late childhood to adolescence

Question 5

what did Manlove et al (2002) find?

Answer 5

fathers are less likely to be involved with their infant if it has temperament issues

Question 6

what is a limitation of research into the father?

Answer 6

inconsistent findings - researchers are interested in different questions

doesn’t explain why children with absent fathers develop the same as those who have fathers

Question 7

why don’t fathers generally become primary attachment figures?

Answer 7

traditional gender roles

female hormones (oestrogen) make women more nurturing