role of the father

Question 1

research into the role of the father

Answer 1

schaffer and emerson
- study of infants from birth to 18 months
- 3% attached to father first
- 27% of babies attached to their mum and sad at the same time
- 75% of babies formed attachment with fathers by 18 months
- fathers were less likely to become the first attachment but attachment nearly always formed with fathers later

grossman et al
- study from infancy to adolescence on the distinctive role for fathers.
- fathers had a different role than mothers: play and stimulation, rather than emotional development
- attachment to fathers was not found to predict the quality of teenage relationships
- the quality of play related to teenage relationships

Field
- studied fathers as primary attachment figures
- filmed 4 month old babies with primary caregiver fathers and mothers, and secondary caregiver fathers
- primary caregiver fathers spent more time smiling, imitating and holding babies than secondary caregiver fathers did
- shows fathers adopt an emotional role when they are the primary caregiver
- primary attachment has emotional significance

Question 2

Role of the father A03

Answer 2

good:
practical applications
- families can be taught about the fathers role of attachment. Gives hope to primary caregiver fathers.

bad:
heteronormativity
- only looks at heterosexual families with one mother and one father. It ignores other family set ups- they are understudied.
- man is identified as the main male carer
- research is not representative of other dynamics

variety of research questions
- each bit of research answers a different question so it is hard to find a specific answer about the father’s role in attachment.
- cannot draw general conclusions.
- limits the quality of the knowledge we do have about the role of the father.

Question 3

how research into the role of the father effects the economy

Answer 3

• more female employment in high paying jobs
• decrease in the gender pay gap
• more paid paternity leave