attachment figures

• What did Schaffer and emerson find?

  Within a few weeks or months after forming primary attachments, secondary ones were formed.

  75% of infants attached to father by the age of 18 months
• who is the key psychologist for role of the father?

  grossman 2002
• what did grossman do?

  • longitudinal study looking at both parents’ behaviour and its relationship ot the quality of childrens attachments into their teens
• what did grossman find?

  • quality of attachment with mother only was related to childrens attachment in adolescence
  • quality of fathers play is of up most importance
  • their role in attachment is more to do with play and stimulations
• who was the key psychologists for father as. primary caregivers?

  Tiffany field 1978
• what did Tiffany field do?

  • filmed 4-month old babies in interactions with primary cargeiver mothers, secondary caregivers fathers and primary fathers.
  • The primary father spent more time interacting than secondary
• what did tiffany field find?

  • interaction was important in building attachment
  • fathers can be a nurturing attachment figure
• evaluate contradictory research?

  • study by grossman shows that fathers as secondary attachments have a role in child’s development.
  • other studies have found children growing up in single or same-sex families dont. develop differently.
  • the secondary attachment is not as important
• evaluate fathers not generally becoming primary attachments?

  • Tend to not be primary figures could be due to gender roles (women more nurturing)
  • So, fathers simply dont feel they should act like that.
  • female hormones could create higher levels of nurturing, so, they are biologically pre-disposed to be a primary attachment figure