The role of the father

What did Schaffer and Emerson find about attachment to fathers

In only 3% of cases the father was the first sole object of attachment. However 75% of the babies studied formed an attachment with their father by the age of 18 months - determined by the fact that the babies protested when their father walked away

What did Klaus Grossmann et al. do

Carried out a longitudinal study where babies’ attachments were studied until they were into their teens. They looked at both parents’ behaviour and the link to the quality of the baby’s later attachments to other people

What did they find

That quality of a baby’s attachment with mothers but not fathers was related to attachments in adolescence suggesting that attachment to fathers is less important than attachments to mothers

What did they find about importance of fathers play

That the quality of fathers’ play with babies related to the quality of adolescent attachment suggesting fathers have different roles from mothers - one that is more to do with play and stimulation and less to do with emotional development

What happens when fathers take on the role of the primary caregiver

They are able to adopt the emotional role more typically associated with the mother

What was Tiffany Field’s study

She filmed 4 month old babies in face-to-face interaction with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers

What did the research find

That primary caregiver fathers spent more time smiling, imitating and holding babies than secondary caregiver father - seems that fathers have the potential to be the more emotion-focused primary attachment figure but maybe only express this when given the role of primary caregiver

What is a limitation

Lack of clarity over the qs being asked - what is the role of the father. Some researchers attempting to answer this want to understand the role of the father as a secondary attachment figure, some want to understand the role as a primary attachment figure. Some see fathers being diff to mothers and having a distinct role, others say fathers can take on a maternal role. Makes it difficult to offer a simple answer

What is another limitation

Findings vary according to the methodology used. Longitudinal studies like Grossmann et al. suggested that fathers as secondary attachment figures have an important and distinct role in their children’s development, involving play and stimulation. However if they have a distinct role we would expect children growing up in a single mother household would turn out different in some way. But studies consistently show that these children do not turn out differently. Meaning that the qs as to whether fathers have a distinct role is unanswered

What is a counterpoint to the previous evaluation point

It could be that in single mother households the families adapt to accommodate to the role played by fathers, meaning the question about the role of the father is clear - when present they adopt a distinctive role, but families can adapt to not having a father

What is a strength

It can be used to offer advice to parents. Parents and prospective parents often argue over decisions like who should take on the primary caregiver role, or feel pressured to conform to mother father stereotypical roles. Research can inform families that fathers are capable of becoming primary attachment figures. Meaning parental anxiety about the role of the father can be reduced