role of the father

• who is the father?

  anyone that takes on the role of secondary caregiver
• why are fathers not the PCG?

  • spend less time with child
  • less sensitive to cues
  • testosterone instead of oestrogen (calming)
  • cultural/ societal expectation (childcare is seen as feminine)
• what happens when a father is the PCG?

  • adopt more typical behaviours
  • fathers more fun- important for development
  • can be nurturing
  • level of responsiveness forms attachments, not gender
• what shows father attachment?

  • schaffer and emerson
  • 3% of PAF was father, 27% was joint, 70% was mother
  • 75% of children form an attachment with the father by 18 months
• what is the study for fathers?

  • grossman
  • longitudinal- both parents and link between quality of attachment into teens
  • results: quality of teen- mother was dependent on infant- mother
  • not the same for father- infant/ father- teen
  • father attachment it less important
  • father- infant is play attachment, causes teen bond
  • fathers have a more play and stimulating role
  • not nurturing
• what was the study for fathers as PCG?

  • tiffany field
  • 4 month old in face to face interaction with PCG mother, SCG father and PCG father
  • PC was father- smiling, imitating and holding infant more than SC father did
  • this behaviour is more important for building attachment
  • father can be nurturing
  • level of responsiveness not gender is key for attachment