The role of the Farther

Question 1

what are the expectations in western culture?

Answer 1

that the father should play a greater role in bringing up children

Question 2

why are mothers working full time significant?

Answer 2

led to fathers having a more active role

Question 3

when do infants prefer the father?

Answer 3

• infants prefer contact with their father when in a positive emotional state and wants to play
• fathers are more likely than mothers to encourage risk taking by engaging them in physical
• mother when they are distressed and comforting

Question 4

Schaffer and Emerson

Answer 4

• 75% of the infants in their study formed a secondary attachment to their father by 18 moths
• 29% doing so within a month of forming a primary attachment
• father is important but is unlikely to be the first person to which the child develops an attachment to

Question 5

Tiffany field

Answer 5

Father can become the primary attachment figure

• she observed interactions between infants and their primary career and found regardless of gender the primary giver was more intentive towards the infant and spent more time holding and smiling at them
• mothers don’t always have to be the primary caregiver

Question 6

McCallum and Golombok

Answer 6

Found that Children growing up in single or same sex families didn’t develop differently from those in 2 parent families

Question 7

A03 - economic implications

Answer 7

Mothers feel pressured to stay home due to research it is vital for healthy development

• but in some families may not be the best solution economically
  2. Single father/mother may be pressured to return to work at a later point in order to increase the likelihood that their child will form a secure attachment

Question 8

AO3 cultural factors

Answer 8

Men were expected to be breadwinners and not have direct involvement in the child’s care

• stereotypical view
• reflect reality as fathers may not be actively involved but more play

Question 9

AO3 social policy

Answer 9

In the Uk fathers we’re not given paternal leave so the responsibility of childcare was implicitly given to mothers
- changes the attachment children make with their fathers

Question 10

AO3 biological factors

Answer 10

• Herman at al 1944 men seem to lack emotional sensitivity
• women are expected to be more sensitive as they produce high levels of oestrogen which increases emotional response to others needs and lower levels of testerone compared to men
• biological and social restrains on who the primary caregiver is
• however Frodi et al 1978 mens psychological response was the same as Womens

Question 11

AO3 the child

Answer 11

• freeman at al 2010 = male children are more likely to prefer their father as an attachment figure
• children are more likely to become attached to fathers during their late childhood to early adolescence

Question 12

Manlove at al 2002

Answer 12

Fathers are less likely to be involved with their infant if the infant has a difficult temperament