The Role of the Father

Question 1

What is believed to be the role of the father?

Answer 1

More of a playmate than a caregiver.

Question 2

Why is the father seen as a playmate rather than a caregiver?

Answer 2

Father’s play is often more phsyical, unpredictable and exciting than mothers.

Question 3

What are the factors of the father-child dynamic?

Answer 3

• The degree of sensitivity.
• Single-parent fathers.
• Marital intimacy.
• Supportive co-parenting.

Question 4

How does the degree of sensitivity affect the father-child dynamic?

Answer 4

Fathers who are sensitive to their child’s needs develop more secure attachments.

Question 5

How does being a single-parent father affect the father-child dynamic?

Answer 5

The father tends to form similar attachments with their child as they had with their own parents.

Question 6

How does marital intimacy affect the father-child dynamic?

Answer 6

The type of attachment the father develops with his child is related to the level of intimacy he has with his partner.

Question 7

How does supportive co-parenting affect the father-child dynamic?

Answer 7

The level of support the father provides his partner in helping care for the child affects the type of attachment he’ll have with his child.

Question 8

What did Geiger (1996) find about the role of the father?

Answer 8

The way fathers play with their children is more exciting and pleasurable than mothers.

Question 9

What did Lamb (1987) find about the role of the father?

Answer 9

• Children often interact with their fathers when in a positive emotional state.
• Thus are seeking stimulation rather than comfort.

Question 10

What did Hardy (1999) find about the role of the father?

Answer 10

• Fathers are less able than mothers to detect low levels of infant distress.
• Suggests males make unsuitable primary attachment figures.

Question 11

What did Lamb (1997) find about the role of the father?

Answer 11

• Once a father becomes the main care provider, he quickly develops more sensitivity towards the child’s needs.
• Suggests sensitive responsiveness isn’t a biological ability limited to women.

Question 12

What qualities do children with secure attachments to their father display?

Answer 12

• Better relationships with peers.
• Less problem behaviour.
• Better able to regulate their emotions.

Question 13

What qualities do children who grew up without the presence of a father display?

Answer 13

• Do less well at school.
• Higher levels of risk-taking.
• Higher levels of aggression.

Question 14

What are the weaknesses of research into the role of the father?

Answer 14

• Pederson (1979) argued that the outcomes could be due to socio-economic background; due to most of the studies focusing on female single mothers and poorer families.
• Evidence suggests fathers are just as capable of displaying sensitive responsiveness, but many social conventions still see fathers differently.