the role of the father

Question 1

attahcment to fathers (Schaffer and Emerson)

Answer 1

traditionally, only mother-infant attachment was researched and fathers were not considered in early theories. Schaffer and Emerson found secondary attachments at arounf 7 months to other family members. By 18 months, 75% of infants studied were attached to the father.

Question 2

distinctive role for fathers (Grossman et al)

Answer 2

longitudinal study of babies attachments into their teens, looked at both parents behaviours. found that quality of babies attachments with mothers,but not fathers, related to attachment in adolescence. fathers may have a different role, fathers play with babies related to quality of attachment in adolescence

Question 3

fathers as primary attachment figures (Field)

Answer 3

filmed 4 month old babies in face to face interactions with PCG mothers, PCG fathers and SCG fathers. both PCGs spent more time smiling, imitating and holding babies han SCGs. shows fahers can be the more emotion focused PAF.

Question 4

-AO3 - lack of clarity over what is being asked

Answer 4

‘what is the role of the father’ is a complex question, former researchers see fathers as only SAFs, modern research focuses on PAFs. no definitive answer.

Question 5

-AO3 - conflicting evidence (McCallum and Golombok)

Answer 5

if SCG father has important role in development for play and stimulation, then single mother families must turn out different, but McCallum and Golombok show that this is not true. The question to whether fathers have a distinctive role remains unanswered

Question 6

+AO3 - CA, research may not be in conflict

Answer 6

research may show that in heterosexual families fathers take a sitinctive role, and in single mother and lesbian parent families simply adapt to fulfill the role played by fathers. this means that a distinctive role for fathers is clear after all ; they adopt a distinctive role when present but families can adapt to not haveoing a father.

Question 7

+AO3 - RWA

Answer 7

parents struggle to decide who should be the PAF, society pressures mothers to stay home anf fathers to work. research shows that fathers can be PAfs too, which gives more freedom to mothers to return to work if desired. research may take pressure off families to make decisions about work and childcare.