Multiple attachments and the role of the father

What did Schaffer and Emerson (1964) find?

• the father was the primary attachment figure in only 3% of families

• By 18 months of age, 75% of infants had formed an attachment to their father

Biological evidence for primary caregiver

• Biological evidence suggests that men are less receptive and sensitive to the needs of an infant

• Hormonal differences in men and women may contribute to the differences in nurturing behaviour from each caregiver

• Biological women have more oestrogen than biological males

• Oestrogen modifies neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for cognitive and emotional processes

• This means that women may be more naturally emotionally sensitive than men (although this remains a 'prickly' issue, particularly in terms of debates surrounding gender)

What is the role of the father?

• the quality of fathers’ play with infants is related to children’s attachments in adolescence

• Fathers can act as primary caregivers and adopt behaviours seen in mothers

• The key to attachment is the level of responsiveness, not the gender of the parent

What was Grossman’s (2002) study?

Grossman (2002) conducted a longitudinal study. Quality of attachment with the mother was linked to quality of attachments in adolescence. However, quality of fathers’ play with infants was related to quality of adolescent attachments. 

What was Paquette’s (2004) study?

Paquette (2004) concluded that fathers encourage risk-taking behaviour and are catalysts for children exploring unfamiliar situations and taking chances.

What did Paqettes and Grossman’s studies suggest?

Fathers have a distinct role in attachment that is more to do with play and stimulation than nurturing/

Fathers adapting a more nurturing and sensitive behaviour

• Some evidence suggests that when fathers take on the role of the primary attachment figure they adopt more nurturing and sensitive behaviour

• Field (1978) filmed four-month-old babies interacting with:

  • primary caregivers who were mothers

  • primary caregivers who were fathers

  • secondary caregivers who were fathers

  • Field found that the primary caregiver fathers spent more time smiling, interacting with, and holding their babies compared to secondary caregiver fathers

  • shows that Fathers can be the more nurturing attachment figure. The key to attachment is the level of responsiveness, not gender of the parent

  • These behaviours are part of reciprocity and interactional synchrony

Evaluation: economic developments

Evaluation: inconsistency

Research into the role of the father is inconsistent. Some studies focus on fathers as primary caregivers, while others focus on them as secondary caregivers. This creates issues with reliability.

Evaluation: I/D

Research into the role of the father can be socially sensitive. The research suggests that children might be disadvantaged by certain child rearing practices e.g. if they do not have a father figure. MacCallum & Golombok (2004) found children in single-parent or same-sex parent families do not develop any differently to those in two-parent heterosexual families.