Role of the Father AO3

• -Conflicting evidence 1/2

  One limitation of research into the role of fathers is that findings vary according to the methodology used. Longitudinal studies - Grossman - have suggested that fathers as secondary attachment figures have an important and distinct role in their children's development, involving play & stimulation. However, if fathers have a distinct and important role we would expect that children growing up in single mother and lesbian parent families would turn out in some way different from those in two-parent heterosexual families.
• -Conflicting evidence 2/2

  Studies such as McCallum and Golombok consistently show that these children don’t develop differently from children in two-parent heterosexual families. This means the question - Do fathers have a distinctive role? - remains unanswered.
• -+ These lines of research may not be in conflict. It could be that fathers typically take on distinctive rotes in two-parent heterosexual families, but that parents in single-mother and lesbian-parent families simply adapt to accomodate the role played by fathers. When present, fathers tend to adopt a distinctive role; but families can adapt to not having a father.
• 1/2 Real world application

  +One strength of research into the role of the father is that it can be used to offer advice to parents. Parents sometimes agonise over decisions - who should take on the primary role. This can cause some to rethink having children at all. Mothers may feel pressured to stay at home due to stereotypical views. Fathers may feel pressured to focus on work rather than parenting. In some families this may not be the best choice economically. Research into father’s roles can offer reassuring advice to parents
• 2/2 Real world application

  +Heterosexual families can be informed fathers can also be the primary caregiver. Single mother & lesbian-parent families can be assured that a lack of father doesn't affect the child's development. Parental anxiety around the role of fathers can be reduced.
• -Confusion over research questions 1/2

  Another limitation of research into the role of the father is lack of clarity over the question being asked. The question ‘What is the role of the father?' is what some researchers are attempting to answer in the context of fathers as secondary attachment figures. Others are concerned with fathers as primary attachment figures.
• Confusion over research questions 2/2

  The former tends to see fathers as behaving differently from mothers & having a distinct role. The latter have found that fathers can take on a maternal role. This makes it difficult to offer a simple answer to the role of the father. It really depends what specific role is being discussed.