“Discuss debate of the mother as primary caregiver” (24)

• Para 1: feeding and biological needs

  • P: one arg supporting view mothers should be primary caregiver of an infant is based on their biological role in feeding

  • E: the NHS recommends breastfeeding for first 6 months, claiming it provides the healthiest start, protects against infection, and fosters emotional bonding

  • E: biological function supports Bowlby’s theory of monotropy, where 1 attachment figure - typically the mother - is essential for survival and development. However this argument overlooks that formula milk is a viable alternative, allowing others, including fathers, to participate in feeding and bonding

  • L: while breastfeeding is important, not essential for attachment, suggests caregiving need not be limited to the mother
• para 2: emotional bonds and contact comfort

  • P: evidence from both human and animal studies idea mothers are only suitable primary caregivers.

  • E: Harlow’s monkey studies demonstrated that contact comfort, not feeding, formed the basis of attachment, and Schaffer and Emerson (1964) found that infants often formed primary attachments to the person most responsive, not the one who fed them

  • E: findings show emotional availability and sensitivity more important that biological sex in forming strong attachments. Undermines assumption mothers have a unique emotional role in caregiving

  • L: therefore, capacity to be a primary caregiver depends on sensitivity and interaction than maternal status
• Para 3: bowlby and Freud

  • P: Psychoanalytic and attachment theories often place undue emphasis on the mother, but both have been re-evaluated over time

  • E: Freud saw the mother as the primary love object, but also acknowledged the father’s protective role. Bowlby’s concept of “mother” was later clarified to mean any consistent caregiver, not exclusively the biological mother.

  • E: Freud’s ideas reflected early 20th-century gender norms rather than objective evidence. Bowlby’s revised view recognises that secure attachment can be provided by any stable caregiver, male or female, weakening the argument for a strictly maternal caregiving role

  • L: Thus, modern interpretations of both theories support more inclusive, flexible caregiving models.
• Para 4: social changes and role of fathers

  • P: contemporary research + societal changes demonstrate that fathers can serve as effective primary caregivers

  • E: Gettler et Al (2011) found testosterone levels drop in new fathers, aiding emotional sensitivity. Additionally, policy changes like shared parental leave since 2015 in UK promote equal caregiving

  • E: biological + cultural shifts indicate men are hormonally + socially equipped to be primary caregivers. Moreover, Frodi et al’s (1978) research found no gender diff in physiological responses to infant crying, countering claims men are less responsive

  • L: suggests caregiving capability is not biologically restricted to mothers, but shaped by experience, context, and individual responsiveness
• Conclusion

  • debate reflects outdated biological assumptions and evolving social realities

  • whilst breastfeeding and early bonding provide arguments in favour of maternal care, empirical research shows emotional responsiveness and consistent caregiving - regardless of caregiver’s gender - what truly foster healthy development

  • fathers are equally capable of being primary caregivers, and modern psychological theory and practice should support shared parental roles based on sensitivity and availability, not gender