role of the father

• field (1978) found that fathers do have the potential to be more emotionally-focused and can take on the role of primary caregiver
• grossman et al. found fathers play different roles to mothers in a child’s emotional attachment, they are more involved with play.
• Schaffer and Emerson found that majority of babies did not have their father as their 1st attachment figure at 7 months old (only 3%) however at 18 months old 75% of babies had formed an attachment with their father - suggests that the father is an important attachment figure but not usually a child's first attachment
• limitation of research into role of the father is it assumes heteronormativity- not considering gay or lesbian couples
• research into role of the father can have economical impacts as it may encourage governments and organisations to promote shared parental leave. This allows fathers to take time off to bond with their children, fostering healthier family relationships and reducing reliance on childcare services, which can have long-term benefits for child development and society.
• • Biological evidence suggests that men are less receptive and sensitive to the needs of an infant - supports Grossman's view that fathers play different roles to mothers in attachment
  • 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 - explaining why they play different roles