The role of the father

• What percentage of infants formed a secondary attachment to their father by 18 months according to Schaffer and Emerson?


  75%
• What does the formation of a secondary attachment to the father suggest about the father's role?


  The father is important but is unlikely to be the first attachment figure.
• What percentage of infants formed a secondary attachment within a month of forming a primary attachment?


  29%
• What did Tiffany Field observe about primary caregivers regardless of gender?


  They were more attentive and spent more time holding and smiling at the infant.
• What does Tiffany Field's research suggest about primary attachment figures?


  • Primary caregivers can be of any gender.
  • Attentiveness and time spent with the infant are key factors.
  • Mothers are often expected to be primary attachment figures, but this is not always the case.
• What did MacCallum and Golombok's research demonstrate about children in different family structures?


  Children in homosexual or single-parent families were not different from those with two heterosexual parents.
• What implication does the research by MacCallum and Golombok have on the role of the father?


  It suggests that the father's role as a primary attachment figure is disputed.
• What societal and biological factors influence the gender of the primary caregiver?


  • Societal expectations dictate that women are more caring and sensitive.
  • Biological differences: women have higher oestrogen and lower testosterone levels.
• Why is research into primary attachment figures considered socially sensitive?


  It can lead to blaming parents for later developmental abnormalities in children.
• What pressure might a single father or mother face regarding their work and child attachment?


  They may feel pressured to return to work to increase the likelihood of their child forming a secure attachment.