Role of father

• What is role of the father

  Fathers role in attachment is around play rather than comfort

  The more emotional/sensitive and supportive the father is to the mother, the stronger the attachment with the child
• What happens if fathers become primary caregiver

  They adopt behaviour more typical of mothers
• Individual differences in attachment

  Male children are more likely to be attached to father than female children

  All children are attached to mothers in infancy and attached to fathers later in childhood
• Role of father in relation to age and gender

  Freeman et. Al. found that male children are more likely to prefer their father as at attachment figure. Also found children are attached to their father during late childhood to early adolescence
• Role of father with regards to temperament

  Manlove et Al found fathers are less likely to be involved with infant if they have a difficult temperament
• Inconsistent findings in Role of father

  • children without fathers are no different to children with = father’s secondary role
  • Ethical issues - socially sensitive research
• Socially sensitive research (research methods)

  • topics being researched likely to evoke strong emotional responses
  • Possible consequences for community involved
  • Eg. Gender, ethnic groups