The Role of the Father Flashcards
1
Q
What did Schaffer and Emerson find about attachment to the father?
A
- In only 3% of cases was the father the sole object of attachment
- joint first object 27% of the time
- by 18 months 75% of babies had an attachment to father
2
Q
What did Grossmann find in terms of attachment to the father?
A
- Longitudinal study - from babies to teens
- Quality of a babies attachment with mothers but not fathers was related to attachment in adolescence. role of father less important?
- Grossmann also found fathers quality of play affected adolescent attachment - important role of play and stimulation
3
Q
What did Field find in terms of attachment to the father?
A
- Field filmed 4 month old babies interactions with primary caregiver mother, primary caregiver fathers and secondary caregiver fathers
- Both primary caregiver father and mothers spent more time interacting with the baby - interactional synchrony
- Fathers can be primary caregivers if they can provide the responsiveness required
4
Q
How can research into the role of the father provide comfort to parents in the real-world?
A
- comfort to heterosexual couples as it reassures them that fathers can be primary attachment figured if that is of concern to them
- Can give comfort to lesbian or gay couples as responsiveness not gender matters
5
Q
What is the conflicting evidence on the role of the father?
A
- longitudinal studied e.g Grossmann suggest fathers have a distinct and important role in child development suggesting those raised in single mother and lesbian households would turn out different, however studies consistently show children from these households are no different
6
Q
What is a counterpoint to the conflicting research surrounding the role of the father?
A
- could be fathers typically take on a distinctive role in a heterosexual household but in other household this role is accommodated to by the mother so there is no conflict
