Role of the Father

Question 1

Primary Attachment - Mothers/Both

Answer 1

1) Schaffer & Emerson found majority of babies became attached to mothers first (happens around 7 months).
2) 3% - fathers was first sole object of attachment.
3) 27% - father was joint first object of attachment with mother.
4) 75% - secondary attachment formed with father by age of 18 months - this was indicated by the fact babies protested when fathers walked away (sign of attachment).

Question 2

Grossmann et al. - Distinctive Role for Father

Answer 2

1) Grossmann et al. carried out longitudinal study looking at parent’s behaviour & its relationship to the quality of children’s attachment into their teens.
2) Found quality of ATT with father was less important for adolescent ATT than quality of ATT with mother —> therefore fathers may be less important in long-term emotional development.

3) BUT also found quality of father’s play with babies was related to quality of adolescent ATT - suggests fathers have a different role in ATT, one more to do with play than emotional care.

Question 3

Primary Attachment - Fathers

Answer 3

1) When fathers take the role of being main caregiver they adopt behaviours more typical of mothers.

2) Field filmed 4-month-old babies & found primary caregiver fathers (like mothers) spent more time smiling, imitating & holding babies than secondary caregiver fathers.
–> these behaviours are related to interactional synchrony & the formation of an emotional attachment (Isabella et al.)
–> Interactional synchrony is important in building primary attachment with a baby
–> so fathers can be the more ‘emotional’ attachment figure
–> the KEY to attachment is the level of responsiveness not gender.

Question 4

Limitation - Validity

Answer 4

Observer Bias –> Lack Validity

1) Preconceptions about how fathers behave are created by discussions about mothers’ & fathers’ parenting behaviour.
2) Stereotypes (e.g. fathers are more playful) may cause observer bias & lead to inaccurate observations.
3) So observational studies of fathers may lack validity & conclusions cannot be trusted.

Question 5

Strength - Application

Answer 5

1) Mothers may feel pressured to stay home & fathers to focus on work –> research on flexibility of role of father can be used to offer reassuring advice to parents.
2) So parental anxiety about role of fathers can be reduced & parenting decisions made easier.