Role of the father

• which psychologists investigated the role of the father?

  grossman, field
• what was grossman's research into the role of the father?

  longitudinal study, found quality of attachment with mother was more important than quality of attachment with father, suggested father is less important in long term emotional development, found father attachment more based on play and stimulation not nurturing. The mother plays an emotional support role
• what was field's research into the role of the father?

  Filmed babies in face to face interactions of infants to primary caregiver fathers vs not primary caregiver fathers. Found that like mothers, primary caregiver fathers spend more time smiling/ holding infants than secondary. suggested key aspect in attachment is level of responsiveness not gender
• what are weaknesses into role of the father?

  contradictory research- research focused on different aims, some looked at fathers as secondary attachment figure with different behaviour to mothers, some as primary caregiver with maternal behaviourlacks internal validity- stereotypes and preconceptions about role of father may cause unintentional observer biasother research- children without fathers have no differences in ability to play etc, suggests father unimportant