role of the father

Question 1

Men aren’t equipped to form attachments psychologically + socially

Answer 1

• Shaffer + Emerson: primary attachment figures are 3% father and 27% joint
• fathers usually secondary attachment, 75% of children form attachment by 18 months
• less sensitive to infant cues
• women have more oestrogen, naturally more caring
• cultural/social expectations of father (work, money, unemotional)

Question 2

fathers aren’t caregivers but playmates

Answer 2

• Grossmann 2022: only quality of babies attachment to mothers not fathers is connected to later attachments BUT quality of fathers play with babies related to quality of later attachments
• fathers have role of play + simulation, mothers have role of emotional development
• lacks of sensitivity is positive, encourages children to problem solve

Question 3

fathers demonstrate sensitive responsiveness to needs of child

Answer 3

field 1978
- if fathers primary caregiver, able to adopt emotional role of mother
- primary caregiver fathers do more smiling, imitating, holding babies than secondary caregiver fathers
- shows potential for fathers to be more emotional caregiver

Question 4

AO3 strength

Answer 4

• used to offer advice to parents
• mothers feel pressure to stay at home and take ‘traditional’ role
• research shows father is capable of that position
• gay couples can be assured not having a mother figure won’t effect the Childs development
• real world application, parental anxiety over role of the father can be reduced

Question 5

AO3 weakness (evidence)

Answer 5

• research left unanswered questions, contradicting evidence
• Grossman found that fathers play an important role as secondary attachment figure
• MacCallum and Golombook found children with same-sex parents don’t grow up any differently than heterosexual couples
• if fathers have a distinct role then why aren’t children without fathers different

Question 6

AO3 weakness (cause)

Answer 6

• culture, fathers beliefs, fathers age, fathers sensitivity, work, marital intimacy
• lots of factors that can affect a childs emotional development
• can’t draw conclusion that childs development is because of father or other variables