The Role Of The Father

Question 1

What does early research suggest about attachment

Answer 1

Focused mainly on mother and baby attachment and role of father in development of attachment is often neglected

Question 2

Describe what Schaffer and Emerson found in terms of whether infants attach to their father and when

Answer 2

• majority of babies become attached to the mother around 7 months
• only 3% of cases showed attachment to the father first
• in 27% of cases the father was the joint first object of attachment with the mothe
  BUT most fathers do go on to become important attachment figure- 75% of babies formed an attachment with their father by 18 months

Question 3

Which study suggested that the role of the father more to do with play and simulation

Answer 3

Grossman (2002)

Question 4

Describe the procedure and findings of Grossman (2002)

Answer 4

• longitudinal study of 44 families
• compared the mothers’ and fathers’ attachment at 6, 10 and 16 years
• quality of infant attachment with mother related to attachments in adolescence
• but quality of father’s play was related to attachments in adolescence

Question 5

Which study suggested that fathers can act as primary caregivers

Answer 5

Field (1978)

Question 6

Describe the procedure and findings of Field (1978)

Answer 6

• filmed 4 months old babies interactions with primary caregiver mothers and fathers and secondary caregiver fathers
• primary caregiver fathers had more face-to-face interactions (like primary caregiver mothers) compares to secondary caregiver fathers

Question 7

What are the conclusions drawn from Field’s study

Answer 7

Fathers do have the potential to provide responsiveness required for close emotional attachment but only express this when given the tole of primary caregiver

Question 8

Which is more important when developing attachments- gender or behaviour

Answer 8

Behaviour