Role of the Father Flashcards
What are three social reasons to explain the role of the father?
-Cost of living crisis (economic)
-Change in job sectors (tertiary and quaternary)
-Change in social norms (homosexuality, blended families)
What are three biological explanations for the role of the father? Name relevant psycholgists
-Oestrogen
-Oxytocin- Gordon et al (2010)
-Testosterone- Getter et al (2011)
What did Gordon et al (2010) conclude about oxytocin
Oxytocin in single male parents have higher levels than those in a nuclear family, He also found that men in nuclear families have increased levels of oxytocin for 6 months after birth
What did Getter et al (2011) suggest about testosterone
Fathers who spend more than 3 hours a day have lower testosterone levels than fathers who dont.
What were the %’s in Schaffer and Emerson’s (1964) research
3% of cases- fathers are the PCG
27% of cases- mother and father are the join PCG
75% of infants attached to the father by 18 months. (started showing separation anxiety from the father)
Outline Grossman’s (2002) research into the role of the father and the impact on the child’s development.
Grossman carried out a Longitudinal study on 44 families, from infant to adolescence. They did this at 6,10 and 16 years old. They studied parents’ behaviour and quality of attachment through life.
What were the two conclusions for the quality of attachment in mothers and fathers in Grossman’s (2002) study.
Quality of attachment with mothers was important to attachments in adolescence. Quality of fathers play with infants was related to quality of attachment in adolescence.
Outline Field’s (1978) study into the factors of forming attachments
He filmed 4 month old babies in face-to-face- interactions with PCG mothers, PCG fathers and SCG fathers.
What did Field (1978) conclude about the factors of forming attachments
He concluded that the PCG fathers spent more time smiling and interacting with their babies compared to SCG fathers. Regardless of the gender the PCG spent more time interacting with the baby. In summary, interaction and responsiveness are more important when forming attachments than gender
Brown et al (2012) completed supporting research for Field (1978). Outline his study.
Brown, investigated father involvement (paternal sensitivity) and father-child attachment security at 13 months and 3 years of age.
What did Brown et al (2012) conclude about his research
Results demonstrated that involvement and sensitivity influence paternal sensitivity at age 3. Involvement was a greater predictor of a secure attachment when fathers were rated as less sensitive.
