A01

• What does early research suggest about attachment?

  Focused mainly on mother and baby attachment and role of father in development of attachment is often neglected.
• Describe what Schaffer and Emerson found in terms of whether infants attach to their father and when

  - Majority of babies become attached to mother around 7 months

  - Only 3 % of cases showed attachment to the father first

  - In 27 % of cases the father was the joint first object of attachment with mother

  - BUT most fathers do go on to become important attachment figure -> 75 % of babies formed an attachment with their father by 18 months
• Which study suggested that the role of the father more to do with play and stimulation?

  Grossman (2002)
• Describe the procedure of Grossman (2002)

  - Longitudinal study of 44 families

  - Compared the mothers' and fathers' role in the development of their children's attachment at 6, 10 and 16 years
• Describe the findings of Grossman (2002)

  Quality of infant attachment with mothers related to attachments in adolescence but quality of father's play was related to attachments in adolescence
• Which study suggested that fathers can act as primary caregivers?

  Field (1978)
• Describe the procedure of Field (1978)

  Filmed 4-month old babies interactions with primary caregiver mothers and fathers and secondary caregiver fathers
• Describe the findings of Field (1978)

  Primary caregiver fathers had more face-to-face interactions (like primary caregiver mothers) compared to secondary caregiver fathers
• What are the conclusions drawn from Field's study?

  Fathers do have the potential to provide responsiveness required for close emotional attachment but only express this when given the role of primary caregiver
• Which is more important when developing attachments - gender or behaviour?

  Behaviour