ATTACHMENT - role of father
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Reasons for father not being involved
Cultural factors
- breadwinners and jobs
Economic factors
- in asia and africa, fathers work away from home to earn money and so don't have a chance to attach
Biological factors
- men lack senseitivty due to not having oestrogen and don't birth the baby
Social policies
- fathers have short paternal leave
The child's age and gender
- male children like their father more and attach to the father at later childhood
The child's temperament
- fathers are less likely to be involved if that infant has a difficult temperament
- breadwinners and jobs
Economic factors
- in asia and africa, fathers work away from home to earn money and so don't have a chance to attach
Biological factors
- men lack senseitivty due to not having oestrogen and don't birth the baby
Social policies
- fathers have short paternal leave
The child's age and gender
- male children like their father more and attach to the father at later childhood
The child's temperament
- fathers are less likely to be involved if that infant has a difficult temperament
2
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Father-infant attachment
Schaffer and Emerson found that around 7 months babies became first attached to their mothers but then formed secondary attachments to the father
- 75% infants in the study attached to their fathers by 18 months
- infant protested when father walked away - sign of attachment
- 75% infants in the study attached to their fathers by 18 months
- infant protested when father walked away - sign of attachment
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Grossman (200)
- longitudinal study
- father attachment is less important
- quality of father attachment is due to play
- their role is not nurturing but more with play and stimulation
- father attachment is less important
- quality of father attachment is due to play
- their role is not nurturing but more with play and stimulation
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Field (1978) - fathers as primary caregivers
- fathers take on motherly roles when they are primary caregiver
- 4-month-old babies in face-to-face interaction with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers.
- Primary caregiver fathers, like mothers, spent more time smiling, imitating and holding infants than the secondary caregiver fathers. This behaviour appears to be important in building attachment with the infant.
- fathers can be the more nurturing attachment figure.
- The key is the level of responsiveness not the gender of the parent.
- 4-month-old babies in face-to-face interaction with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers.
- Primary caregiver fathers, like mothers, spent more time smiling, imitating and holding infants than the secondary caregiver fathers. This behaviour appears to be important in building attachment with the infant.
- fathers can be the more nurturing attachment figure.
- The key is the level of responsiveness not the gender of the parent.
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EVAL: Inconsistent findings on fathers
- confusing because different researchers are interested in different research questions - some psychologists are interested in understanding the role fathers have as a secondary attachment figure whereas others with the father as a primary attachment figure.
- the former tended to see fathers as behaving differently from mothers and having a distinct role, whilst the latter tended to finds that fathers can take on a 'maternal' role.
- psychologists cannot easily answer the question 'what is the role of the father?'.
- the former tended to see fathers as behaving differently from mothers and having a distinct role, whilst the latter tended to finds that fathers can take on a 'maternal' role.
- psychologists cannot easily answer the question 'what is the role of the father?'.
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EVAL - fatherless children are the same
Grossman's research found that fathers as secondary attachment figures had an important role in their children's development.
- other studies (e.g. MacCallum and Golombok, 2004) found children growing up in single or same-sex parent families do not develop any differently from those in two-parent heterosexual families.
- suggests that father's role as a secondary attachment figure is not important.
- other studies (e.g. MacCallum and Golombok, 2004) found children growing up in single or same-sex parent families do not develop any differently from those in two-parent heterosexual families.
- suggests that father's role as a secondary attachment figure is not important.
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EVAL - not a biologically sensitive
- fathers are not as equipped as mothers to provide a sensitive and nurturing attachment.
- Hardy (1999) found that fathers were less able to detect low levels of infant distress, in comparison to mothers.
- supports the biological explanation that the lack of oestrogen in men means that fathers are not equipped innately to form close attachments with their children.
- the role of the father is, to some extent, biologically determined and that a father's role is restricted
- This provides further evidence that fathers are not able to provide a sensitive and nurturing type of attachment, as they are unable to detect stress in their children.
- Hardy (1999) found that fathers were less able to detect low levels of infant distress, in comparison to mothers.
- supports the biological explanation that the lack of oestrogen in men means that fathers are not equipped innately to form close attachments with their children.
- the role of the father is, to some extent, biologically determined and that a father's role is restricted
- This provides further evidence that fathers are not able to provide a sensitive and nurturing type of attachment, as they are unable to detect stress in their children.
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EVAL - research support
- research evidence that provides support for the role of the father as a 'playmate' rather than primary caregiver.
- Geiger (1996) found that a fathers' play interactions were more exciting in comparison to a mothers'.
- mothers' play interactions were more affectionate and nurturing.
- suggests that the role of the father is as a playmate and not as a sensitive parent who responds to the needs of their children.
- also confirm that the mother takes on a nurturing role.
- Geiger (1996) found that a fathers' play interactions were more exciting in comparison to a mothers'.
- mothers' play interactions were more affectionate and nurturing.
- suggests that the role of the father is as a playmate and not as a sensitive parent who responds to the needs of their children.
- also confirm that the mother takes on a nurturing role.
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EVAL - parent relationships affect attachment
- fathers can form secure attachments with their children, if they are in an intimate marriage.
- Belsky et al. (2009) found that males who reported higher levels of marital intimacy also displayed a secure father-infant attachment, whereas males with lower levels of marital intimacy displayed insecure father-infant attachments.
- suggests that males can form secure attachments with their children but the strength of the attachment depends on the father and mother relationship.
- Belsky et al. (2009) found that males who reported higher levels of marital intimacy also displayed a secure father-infant attachment, whereas males with lower levels of marital intimacy displayed insecure father-infant attachments.
- suggests that males can form secure attachments with their children but the strength of the attachment depends on the father and mother relationship.
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