The Role of the Father Flashcards
According to Emerson & Schaffer’s Findings, in what percentage of cases was the father the primary caregiver?
In 3% of cases
Describe Grossmann’s Study in the Role of the Father
- Conducted a longitudinal study of 44 families until their children were in their teens
- Compared the role of fathers’ and mothers’ contribution to their children’s attachment experiences
- Studied its affect on the quality of the infant’s later attachments
What did Grossmann conclude in terms of The Role of the Father? (2 Findings)
- That fathers’ fulfil a different, yet still important role in terms of development: one that centres around play and stimulation rather than emotional development.
- He also concluded that the quality of a mother-baby attachment was related to the quality of the infant’s later attachments, but the quality of father-baby attachment wasn’t
Describe Field’s Study into the Role of the Father
Analysed filmed face-to-face interactions between infants and primary caregiver mothers, primary caregiver fathers and secondary caregiver fathers
What did Field find in terms of The Role of The Father?
That primary caregiver fathers spent more time interacting (e.g. smiling, imitating, holding their infants) than secondary caregiver fathers. This suggests that they can fulfil a parental role centred around emotional development, but perhaps only when they are the primary caregiver.
What are some potential economic implications of research into the Role of the Father? (4 Points)
- More stay-at-home fathers
- More mums working
- Reduced gender pay gap
- Changing laws regarding paternity leave
By what age did Emerson & Schaffer find the majority of infants had formed an attachment to their father compared to their mother?
75% of infants formed an attachment to their father by 18 months, compared to the majority forming an attachment to their mother by 7 months
What positive implications are there regarding research into the Role of the Father?
It breaks gender stereotypes by suggesting that father’s can successfully fulfil a nurturing, child-centred role, and reduces pressure for mother’s to give up work and stay at home
What study challenges research into the Role of the Father?
MacCallum & Golombok, who found that children raised in single-mother and lesbian households don’t develop any differently from those raised in nuclear families, suggesting fathers don’t have a distinct, crucial role
Why isn’t existing research into the Role of the Father fully generalisable?
It assumes heteronormativity
Why is there some confusion regarding research into the Role of the Father?
Some researchers focus of primary- caregiver fathers whilst others focus on secondary-caregiver fathers, meaning it is difficult to draw overall conclusions as the nature of those attachment types and the father’s role when fulfilling them differs
