Role of the Father

Question 1

by 18 months what % of infants had formed an attachment (shaffer)

Answer 1

75% of infants

Question 2

what did Field say could happen in single father families ?

Answer 2

• a father could be the main primary attachment figure
• fathers adopt more ‘maternal’ behaviours ( smiling, immating, holding infants)

Question 3

what are the reasons fathers are secondary attachment figures

Answer 3

• not equibbed both socially and emotinally to be the primary figure
• lack ‘sensitive responsiveness’

Question 4

why do social factors result in fathers being secondary figures ?

Answer 4

• traditional gender roles in society mean that males adopt a secondary role
• child rearing is sterotypically a female role, deterring males from taking on this role

Question 5

why do biological factors result in fathers being secondary figures

Answer 5

male have very low levels of hormones such as oestrogen and oxytocin that biologically predispose use to be more nurturing and caring in atttachment formation

Question 6

A strength of the role of the father

supporting evidence