The Role Of The Father Flashcards
How have views into the role of the father in childcare changed from 1940s/1950s to now?
Traditionally :
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Fathers had very little to do with childcare and childrearing.
Many researchers at that time such as John Bowlby, believed that a child would have one attachment figure usually mother.
Mothers nurturing nature, so more able to show sensitive responsiveness
How have views into the role of the father in childcare changed to modern day?
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changes in social attitudes and employment patterns, fathers nowadays take an increasingly active role in the care of their children.
males can develop this ability of mothers to show sensitive responsiveness when taking on a primary caregiver role.
3 roles of a father:
Secondary AF
Primary AF
Playmate
Secondary attachment figure: evidence
Schaffer and Emerson found that the majority of babies did become attached to their mother first, at around 7 months, then within a few months secondary attachments.
75% formed attachment with the father by 12-18 months.
This was determined by the infants protest at the father leaving - a sign of attachment.
Playmate evidence
Lamb:
Child distressed - mother
Child communicates and plays - father
Fathers spent time with children in a fun, playtime context whereas mothers were more likely to spend time with heir child carrying out duties such as cleaning and dressing.
Difference in interaction important so fathers play important role in attachment
Primary attachment figure (fathers) evidence
Field
Field filmed 4 month old babies in face-to-face interaction with their primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers. found that that the primary caregiver fathers, like mothers, spent more time smiling, imitation and holding infants than the secondary caregiver fathers.
These behaviours appear to be more important in building an attachment with the infant
. This is evidence to suggest that when fathers do take a role of being the main caregiver, they adopt behaviours typical of mothers.
Evaluation of research of the role of fathers
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Strength: important economic implications
Limitation: inconsistent findings on fathers
Limitation: if father have a doting role why aren’t children without fathers different?
Limitation expectations about gender roles may cause gender bias
Evaluation of research of the role of fathers
Research into role of the father has important economical implications.
Mothers feel pressured to stay at home because of research that says mothers are vital for healthy emotional development.
In some families this may not be the best solution economically
Research which suggests that fathers can play an equally important role in their child’s development may be of comfort to mothers who feel they have to make hard choices about not returning to work.
This means flexible working arrangements within the family become possible, maximising the benefit to the economy
Evaluation of research of the role of fathers.
Limitation is that there are inconsistent findings
Research can be confusing because different are interested in different research questions.
Some psychologists are interested in understanding the role of the father as a secondary attachment figure; some are interested in their role as a primary attachment figure.
The former have tended to see the father as behaving very differently to mothers and having a very distinct role, the latter have found that fathers can take on a ‘maternal’ role.
This means that we can’t compare the results or findings as the research is inconsistent.
Evaluation of research of the role of fathers.
Limitation is that gender roles may cause gender bias
Social stereotypes about mothers’ and fathers’ ‘typical’ parenting behaviour may affect the validity of observational research. These stereotypes (e.g. Father more playful, etc.) may cause unintentional observer bias whereby observers ‘see’ what they expect rather than recording actual reality.
As such, conclusions on the role of the father in attachment are hard to disentangle from social biases on their role.
Evaluation of research of the role of fathers.
Limitation is that why aren’t children without fathers different?
Research suggests that fathers play an important and different role in the attachment of a child, but in same sex parent families, children grow up with normal attachments and developments even without a father
Therefore fathers are not important
The observations were videotaped. Explain why that would increase the validity of the study. (2 marks)
can watch it several times to check findings
other researchers can watch and check your observations
Explain how the reliability of the observations could be checked. (2 marks)
compare the observation of two or more people in a pilot study (they would be similar) this would allow us to establish inter-observer reliability.
What would be the benefit of conducting this research in a lab? (2 marks)
control over extraneous variables that may distract either adult or infant
establish a cause and effect relationship and means the study is reliable
Research into the role of the father has allowed psychologists to advise parents about their children’s development. Boris is the father of 9 month old Emily. Boris has noticed that recently, when Emily is distressed she only accepts comfort from her mother. This upsets him and makes him feel unimportant as a parent.
Referring to research into the role of the father, what could you tell Boris about his role in Emily’s developing attachments?
Schaffer and Emerson found that babies became attached to their mother first, at around 7 months, but a few after a secondary attachment forms with father from 12-18 months. As Emily is only 9 months old she may still only have a primary attachment to bed mother that’s why she only accepts comfort from her. In 75% of the infants studied, an attachment had formed with the father by 18 months.
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Lamb - Emily seeks comfort from her mother, but sees father as a playful figure.
