psychodynmic

• A primary care giver is the person most responsible for an infants wellbeing and traditionally society and psychology have advocated that it should be the mother
• the 3 themes of mothers should be PCG:

  • feeding purposes
  • maternal deprivation
  • biological and social factors
• the mother should be PCG for feeding purposes:

  • the NHS recommends breast feeding for the first 6 months as it protects infants from infections and obesity
  • increases bond through oxytocin
  • Freud suggests it satifys the needs of the libido in the oral stage
• the role of the PCG goes beyond feeding:

  • Harlow found monkeys spend 80% of the day with the wire cloth mother
  • contact over comfort
  • Freuds views are outdated and have little scientific credibility
• maternal deprivation can have damaging consequences:

  • Bowlby found that maternal deprivation is associated with an affectionless character and found 12/14 "affectionless" children experienced maternal deprivation
  • Ermisch and Francesconi found that children with working mothers had slower emotional development and scored less well iin reading and maths test
  • early return to work reduces the childs chance of progressing to alevels from 60% to 50%
• no conclusive evidence that maternal deprivation can be damaging:

  • Bowlby found no long lasting effects on children with tuberculosis who had long periods of seperation
  • McGinn found daughters with working mothers enjoy better careers, higher pay (4% more) and more equal relationships then stay at home mothers with data from 24 countries
• mothers are more able to bond due to biological/social factors:

  • oestrogen underlies caring behaviour so females are more biologically adapted to the role of PCG
  • Heerman found men are less sensitive to infant cues then mothers
  • gender stereotypes effect male behaviour
• this arguement is sexist and ignores the fathers role:

  • Gettler found that male testostrone levels drop to help the man respond to his childs needs
  • single male parent/ male same sex famillies provide evidence that men can form close relationships with their kids
  • AKA tribe in Africa, men take on caregiving role showing that men can be as every bit respondant
• ethical implications:

  • could encourage discrimination against women
  • working mothers could be viewed as "bad mothers"
• social implications:

  • society promotes equality of opportunity eg Equality Act 2010
  • society is recognising that the traditional views are changing as from April 2015 parents are entitled to share parental leave
  • however, currently only 1% use this so its a slow change
• economic change:

  • since the industrialisation the workforce has needed women which is meant childcare is needed
  • average annual cost of full time nursery care is 9,850
  • in 2014, parents were allowed to claim tax relief on childcare costs as an incentive to work
  • for an economy to thrive it needs a diverse workforce otherwise there would be skill gaps and unable to meet demands
• overall conclusion:

  • arguement is outdated
  • no conclusive evidence that the PCG has to be female
  • role of father is also important
  • many factors that might influence the well being of a child