Role of the Father

What did Schaffer and Emerson find?

majority of babies form their first attachment with their mother

• 3% formed father as first attachment

• 27% formed a joint attachment

• 75% of babies form secondary attachments to father by 18 months

What did Grossman et Al find?

• found attachment with father was less important for adolescent attachment —> less important longterm

BUT

• found quality of play correlated with the quality of adolescent attachment —> suggests fathers have an important role in play and stimulus not emotional

What study did Field conduct and what did he find?

• filmed 4 month old babies and found that the primary caregiver (mother or father) both smiled, imitated and held their babies

• suggests fathers can fulfill role of emotional support for babies as show interactional synchrony which forms the basis for emotional attachment

What is the role of responsiveness in forming attachments?

• emotional attachments are linked to the level of response

• responsiveness > gender

• so fathers can be the more emotional attachment figure

What’s a supporting point for playmate being a valid explanation for role of the father? (Geiger)

Supporting Research- Geiger found that fathers’ play was more exciting than mothers’ who was more affectionate and nurturing. Therefore fathers being a playmate is a valid explanation for role of the father.

What is a supporting point for role of the father as secondary attachment?

Supporting research- Hrdy found fathers are less able to detect low levels of infant distress than mothers due to a lack of oestrogen —> role as secondary attachment is biological determined to some extent THEREFORE father as the secondary attachment is valid.

What is one weakness for research into role of the father?

confusion over research questions

• some psychologists look at father as primary attachment and some as secondary attachment

• when looking at primary attachment they found that fathers acted more maternally

• when looking at secondary attachment found fathers acting differently from the mother and having a distinct role

• SO psychologists can’t give a simple answer for role of the father as there is evidence for both roles

What three roles can fathers fulfil?

primary attachment, secondary attachment and playmate

Who produced study support for role of the father as playmate?

Grossman

Who produced study support for role of the father as secondary attachment?

Schaffer and Emmerson

Who produced study support for role of the father as primary attachment?

Field