The role of the Father Flashcards
What did Schaffer and Emerson find with regards to the roles of the father?
Fathers were far less likely to be primary attachment figures compared to mothers which may be due to fathers spending less time with their infants.
What does biology suggest about the role of the father?
Fathers may not be the primary attachment figure due to the female hormone oestrogen being prominent in the involvement of caring behaviour.
What did Frodi et al (1978) find with regards to the role of the father?
Found no psychological differences between men and women when shown videos of babies crying.
Why did Lamb (1997) contradict Schaffer and Emerson?
Lamb reported that studies have shown little relationship between the amount of time spent with the infant (accessibility) and the infant- father attachment. The quality of the time spent with the infant that matters rather than the amount of time spent.
What did Geiger (1996) find about fathers as secondary attachment figures?
Fathers have an important role as playmates and providing challenging situations for their children to learn from. It is possible that less sensitivity provides discipline for the child and helps their cognitive demands.
What does psychodynamic research suggest fathers can provide?
They can provide protection for their children against long term disturbance in adulthood. Also provide them with security by building trust.
What is stated by Bowlby’s monotropy theory in terms of the role of the father?
Suggests that fathers are of no direct emotional significance to the infant and that they are only there to provide indirect financial support for the mother.
What did Schaffer and Emerson later suggest?
Demonstrated that infants form attachments with both mother and father and the sensitivity provided by the caregiver towards the infant is important and the father can just as easily satisfy this.
What does cross-cultural research suggest?
Fathers can fulfil the parenting role just as well as the mother, the highest degree of father involvement is in Central African Republic by the Aka pygmies.
Sweden encourages fathers to be more involved in pregnancy encouraging the, to take paternal leave and promotes equality between mothers and fathers.
