The role of the fathers eval Flashcards
Confusion over research questions?
One limitation of research into the role of fathers is lack of clarity over the question being asked
The question what is the role of the father in the context of attachment is much more complicated than it sounds. Some reasrchers attempting to answer this question actually want to understand the role of fathers as secondary attachment figures.
But others are more concerned with fathers as a primary attachment figure. The former have tended to see fathers as behaving differently from mothers and having a discount role. The latter have found that fathers can take on a maternal role. This makes it difficult to offer a simple answer as to the role of the father it really depends what specific role is being discussed.
Real world application
One strength of research into the role of the father is that it can be used to offer advice to parents. Parents and propestcive parents sometimes agonise over decisions like who should take on the primary caregiver role. Fir some this can even mean worrying about whether to have children at all. Mothers may feel pressured to tay at home because of stereotypical views of mothers and fathers roles. Equally fathers may be pressured to focus on work rather than parenting. In some families this may not be economically the best solution. Research into the role of the father can be used to offer reassuring advice to parents. Fir example heterosexual parents can be informed that fathers are quite capable of becoming primary attachment figures. Also lesbian and single mother families casn be informed that not having a dather does not affect a Childs development. This means that parental anxiety abut the role of the father can be reduced.
Bias in this research
It is quite possible that observers have preconceptions about how fathers do or should behave. These could be created by stereotypical accounts and images of parenting roles and behaviour. Observers might have been influenced by advertising or indeed by their own political or religious views. For example a feminist might not expect to see something distinct in the role of the father.
These stereotypes (e.g. fathers are not primary caregivers, fathers are strict, etc.) risk observer bias so that observers may ‘see’ what they expect to see rather than recording objective reality. However, psychologist-observers are trained in the issue of bias. They also have procedures like dual observations where different observers watch the same behaviour together and agree on what is taking place.
So in conclusion no one is immune to bias, but psychologists are aware of the issues and should not be as affected as others would be.
