role of the father

• are men primary/secondary attachment figures


  men can be primary attatchment figures but

  - biological and social factors discourage this
• how long did schaffer and emmerson suggest it takes for a baby to attatch to a father


  24% formed a secondary attatchment with the father at 1 month old

  78% formed a secondary attatchment with the father at 6 months old
• what is the key factor in establishing the primary caregiver


  scaffer and emmerson found that fathers were less likely to be a primary caregiver

  this could be due to

  - less time spent with an infant

  
  

  however

  Lamb reported that studies have shown little relationship between amount of time with a father and infant attachment
• why might men not be psychologically equipped to form attatchment


  they may lack the emotional sensitivity that women offer
• what are some biological factors why men might be worse at forming attatchment


  the female hormone oestrogen underlies caring behaviour so women are generally more orientated to personal goals than men
• evidence that contradicts the idea that men are less sensitive

  frodi, reaction to babies crying was of equal distress