role of the father

• working mothers = fathers taking on a more active role
• mothers adopt nurturing risk, fathers encourage risk taking by engaging children with physical games
• most infants prefer contact with dad in positive emotional state
• infants prefer contact with mum in distressed state
• schaffer and emerson - studied behaviour and attachment

  only 31% of cases where dad is main care giver
• grossman et al 


  fathers role important in stimulus and play

  mothers role important for health and emotions
• quality of infants relationship with primary attachment figure provides a model for future relationships