Role of the Father

Question 1

What percentage of infants formed a primary caregiver attatchment to the father?

Answer 1

3%.

Question 2

What did Grossman propose about the role of the father?

Answer 2

• Quality of the attachment with the mother is more important than the quality of the attatchment with the father.
• Fathers are less important in the long term.

Question 3

What role did Bowlby propose fathers take?

Answer 3

Role as a playmate. infants are more likely to go to the father for play and the mother for emotional support.

Question 4

Give a disadvantage to studies into the role of the father.

Answer 4

Disadvantages:

• Lamb suggested that fathers who become the primary caregiver are able to adapt to become more sensitive and caring.
• McCallum and Golombok suggested that children from homosexual couples do not develop differently - suggesting it is quality of the attachment that matters not the gender.
• Major social/economic implications - Mothers will typically stay at home with the child and the father goes to work - forcing parents to adopt particular lifestyles.