Role of the Father

Question 1

who are the researchers showing that fathers are less likely to become the babies’ first attachment figure compared to mothers?

Answer 1

Schaffer and Emerson

Question 2

what did Schaffer and Emerson find?

Answer 2

• majority of babies’ first become attached to their mothers at around 7 months
• 3% of cases the father was the first sole object of attachment
• 27% of cases the father was the joint first object of attachment with mother

Question 3

what do Schaffer and Emerson suggest goes on to happen?

Answer 3

• most fathers go on to become important attachment figures
• 75% of babies’ studied by Shaffer and Emerson formed an attachment with their father by the age of 18 months
• determined by the fact that babies’ protested when their father walked away(attachment sign)

Question 4

who was the researcher involved in the distinctive role of the father?

Answer 4

Grossman et al

Question 5

what did Grossman et al do?

Answer 5

• longitudinal study(babies’ attachment was studied until they were into their teens)
• researchers looked at both parent’s behaviours and its relationship to the quality of their baby’s later attachment to other people
• quality of baby’s attachment with mother but not father was related to attachments in adolescence
• this suggests that attachment to fathers is less important than attachment to mothers

Question 6

what did Grossman et al say about the quality of fathers’ play with babies?

Answer 6

• was related to the quality of adolescent attachment
• fathers role is more about play and stimulation, and less to do with emotional development

Question 7

who was the researchers involved in the research of fathers’ as primary attachment figures?

Answer 7

Tiffany Field

Question 8

what did Tiffany Field do?

Answer 8

• filmed 4 month old babies in face to face interaction with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers
• primary caregiver fathers like mothers, spent more time smiling, imitating and holding babies (part of reciprocity and interactional synchrony)than secondary caregiver fathers

Question 9

what does TIffany Field’s study show?

Answer 9

• fathers have the potential to be more emotion-focused primary attachment figures
• provide responsiveness required for a close emotional attachment, only express this when given role of primary caregiver

Question 10

what are the evaluations for the role of the father?

Answer 10

limitation = lack of clarity over question being asked
limitation = findings vary according to the methodology used
strength = can be used to offer advice to parents