The role of the father

Question 1

Summarise Schaffer and Emmerson role of the father

Answer 1

• They suggest that the role of the father is for play
  -Infants gain a secondary attachment to father at 18 months old
  -sensitive responsiveness theory - responds to the infants needs

Question 2

Summarise Schafer and Emmerson study

Answer 2

-Study of Glaswegian infants
Schaffer and Emmerson found that while most infants formed their primary attachments with their mother around 7 months old, many developed secondary attachments with their father by 18 months old

Question 3

What is the sensitive responsiveness theory

Answer 3

• the strength and quality of attachment depend on a caregivers ability to accurately perceive and respond to an infants needs. This theory highlights that it is not specifically the mother or the father but their sensitivity and responsivness which are crucial for forming secure attachments
• any caregiver can become a primary attachment figure if they show sensitive responsiveness

Question 4

What did Geiger say

Answer 4

Fathers are playmates whereas mothers are more nurturing as fathers play interactions are more exciting.

Question 5

What did Lamb say

Answer 5

Fathers are good playmates when a child is in a good emotional state mothers are preferred when the child is in distress

Question 6

What did Hardy say?

Answer 6

Fathers are less able to detect infant distress - not a biological instinct for fathers, however lamb found that fathers who became main care providers seem to quickly develop more sensitivity to children’s needs .

Question 7

What did Belsky et al say?

Answer 7

2009
-High levels of marital intimacy were related to secure father-infant attachments and that low levels of martial intimacy was related to insecure father-child attachments.

Question 8

What did Brown et al say?

Answer 8

assessed attachments patterns in 68 families with infants aged 12-13months, finding that high levels of supportive co parenting were related to secure attachments types between infants and fathers but not between infants and mothers. This suggest that supportive co parenting is more important for fathers developing positive attachments with their children

Question 9

Traditional gender roles

Answer 9

-Father is expected to provide and be the playmate
-women are naturally more nurturing as they have the hormone oestrogen - biologically deterministic

Question 10

Role of the father is inconsistent

Answer 10

Research considers different approaches
- makes it difficult to understand the true role of the father therefore not reliable