AO3 - Multiple Attachments & Role of the Father

• Field (1978) found that primary caregiver fathers engaged in significantly more smiling, than secondary caregiver fathers.
• Brown et al (2012) investigated father involvement, paternal sensitivity, and father−child attachment security at 13 months and 3 years of age.
• Brown et al (2012) found involvement and sensitivity influenced father−child attachment security at age 3.
• Schaffer & Emerson (1964) found that 31% of infants displayed 5 or more multiple attachments by 18 months.
• Frodi et al (1978) found that fathers physiological response to infants was the same as mothers.
• Freeman et al (2010) found that male children are more likely to prefer their father as an attachment figure than female children.
• Manlove et al (2002) suggest fathers are less likely to be involved with their infant if the infant has a difficult temperament.
• Many factors affect the father's role and the impact he has on his child's emotional development. Such as culture, age, and the amount of time the father spends away from home.
• Practical applications can be developed to improve the quality of care of infants and to strengthen attachment bonds.
• The role of the father can mean different things for different people. Very subjective concept.
• Longitudinal research is high in external validity and can wide reaching implications.
• Much of the research into the role of the father is biased towards stereotypical gender roles.
• Cultural background can have a significant effect on the role of the father.