Role Of The Father Flashcards
Historically what was the role of the father
Traditionally, the father played a minor role in child rearing practices and did not form attachments to their infants. This is probably due to the fact that fathers spent less time with their children (Schaffer and Emerson) however this may have been due to the fact that in the 60s when the research was conducted, fathers were working all the time and were the main breadwinners, whilst the mothers stayed home to care, however society has changed a lot since then
What is the research of the role of the father in the current day
Currently there is still a lot of contradicting evidence on the role of the father. Some research has found that instead of a caregiving role, fathers provide a complimentary role as a playmate, providing play and stimulation. Research has found that men are less likely to form attachments due to their biology. In women they have much more of the hormone oestrogen which underlies caring behaviour which is why men may not be able to form attachment. There are also cultural and societal expectations that child rearing and forming an attachment is seen as feminine which may deter fathers from forming an attachment. However there has been research that shows that if fathers demonstrate sensitive responsiveness to their child and respond to their needs, they can form a strong emotional bond with their child.
Evaulation Geiger
There is research evidence that provides support for the role of the father as a 'playmate', Research by Geiger (1996) found that fathers' play interactions were more exciting in comparison to mothers', However, the mothers' play interactions were more affectionate and nurturing. This suggests that the role of the father is in fact as a playmate and not as a sensitive parent who responds to the needs of their children. These results also confirm that the mother takes on more of a nurturing role.
Evaluation Hrdy
Furthermore, research evidence also suggests that fathers are not to provide a sensitive and nurturing attachment. Hrdy (1999) found that fathers were less able to detect low levels of infant distress, in comparison to mothers. These results appear to support the biological explanations highlighted above; the lack of estrogen in men means that fathers are not equipped (biologically) to form close attachments with their children. This suggests that the role of the father is, to some extent, biologically determined and that a father's role is restricted because of their biological makeup. This provides further evidence that fathers are not able to provide a sensitive and nurturing type of attachment, as they are unable to detect stress in their
children.
Evaluation Belsky et al
However, research suggests that fathers are able to form secure attachments with their children if they are in an intimate (close) marriage. Belsky et al. (2009) found thatCmales who reported higher levels of marital intimacy also displayed a secure father- infant attachment, whereas males with lower levels of marital intimacy displayed insecure father-infant attachments. This suggests that males can form secure attachments with their children; however, the strength of the attachment depends on the father and mother relationship.
