Role of the father

• Schaffer and Emerson 


  Majority of babies became attached to their mother around 7 months

  • only 3% was the father
  • In 30% cases father was joint first
• Klaus Grossmann et al (2002)


  Longitudinal study - looked at the relationships of infants until teens with their parents

  Suggested that relationship with father wasnt as importaint
• Counterpoint- Grossman et al


  Found quality of fathers play correlated to the formation of relationships in adolescence

  • Suggests fathers role is more oriented towards play and stimulation
• Fathers as primary attachment figures

  Fathers can take the role of primary care givers if nessacary
• Tiffany Field (1978)


  1. Filmed 4 month old babies face to face with PC mothers, SC fathers and PC fathers
  2. PC fathers showed more intersectional synchrony and reciprocity than SC fathers
• EVALUATION - weakness - Confusion

  The role of the father is a broad and difficult to answer as it is very dependent on the circumstance
• EVALUATION - Weakness - Conflicting evidence

  Finding vary based on the methodology

  • Longitudinal studies show fathers to be important for play and stimulation