Role of the Father AO1

Question 1

Attachment to Fathers

Answer 1

evidence suggests fathers are less likely to become first attachment compared to mothers
Schafer and Emerson- majority of babies first become attached to their mothers
3%- father was first object of attachment
27%- father and mother joint first

Question 2

Distinctive role for fathers

Answer 2

Grossmann et al- study on babies attachment until they were teens
Researcher looked at parents behaviour and it’s relationship to quality of baby’s attachment to other people
Quality of attachment with fathers were not related to attachments in adolescence
Found quality of fathers play was related to adolescent attachments
Suggests fathers have a different role to mothers

Question 3

Fathers as primary attachment figures
1- primary
2- secondary

Answer 3

Field filmed 4 month babies face to face with:
1 caregiver mother, 2 caregiver father, 1 caregiver father
1 cg mother and 1 cg father spend more time smiling than 2 cg father
Fathers have potential to be more emotion focus, able to provide responsiveness required