Attachment: Attachment To Fathers

Question 1

What did research by Schaffer and Emerson suggest about the father’s role in attachment

Answer 1

• Fathers are much less likely to become a baby’s first attachment figure compared to mothers - most babies first formed an attachment with their mothers and only 3% of baby’s formed their first attachment with their father
• However most babies seemed to have formed an attachment with their fathers by 18 months

Question 2

Describe the study conducted by Klaus Grossman researching the role of fathers

Answer 2

• longitudinal study : babies’ attachments were studied until they were in their teens
• quality of attachment with mothers were found to be related to future attachments
• future relationships not influenced by quality of attachment with father as a child
• however Grossman also found that the quality of fathers’ play with babies was related to the quality of later attachments
• this suggests that fathers have a different role from mothers - one that is more to do with play and stimulation and less to do with emotional development

Question 3

Describe research carried out by Tiffany Field into father’s taking on the more emotional role typically associated with mothers

Answer 3

Procedure : filmed 4 month old babies interacting face-to-face with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers

Findings : primary caregiver fathers spent more time smiling, imitating and holding babies than secondary caregiver fathers
- this shows that father’s can also take on the role of the primary attachment figure

Question 4

What are two limitations of research into the role of fathers?

Answer 4

1. There is a lack of clarity over what is being researched
   - some researchers want to understand the role of fathers as secondary attachment figures
   - whereas others are more interested in the role of fathers as a primary attachment figure
   This means it is difficult to draw conclusions from research into the role of the father in later attachments as the role differs depending on the situation.
2. Research into the role of fathers don’t consider how the role of a fatherly figure is significantly different for each individual and family. It also varies depending on the culture. So any findings can’t be generalised to an entire population since each situation is so personal, reducing the external validity.
3. Findings vary depending on the methodology used
   - eg longitudinal studies like Grossman’s have suggested that fathers as secondary attachment figures still have an important role in their children’s development
   - however other research has consistently shown that children growing up without a male caregiver do not develop any differently to those who do (eg McCallum and Golombrok studied children in single or same sex parent families)
   This means it is unclear whether fathers have a distinctive role

Question 5

What is a strength of research into the role of fathers?

Answer 5

✅ Research can be used to give advice to parents, so parental anxiety can be reduced