role of the father

• - Children in same-sex or single parent families don't develop differently- Contradictory evidence from Grossman


  E - MaCullum and Golombok say that children from same-sex or single parent families don't develop differently from those in two-parent heterosexual families.

  E - This contrasts Grossman's study that found that fathers (as secondary attachment figures) had an important role in their child's development.

  L - MaCullum and Golombok's research suggests that the father's role is not important.
• Field (1978) - Fathers as primary caregivers


  Evidence suggests that when fathers take on the role of primary caregivers they adopt to behaviour more typical of mothers.

  Field filmed 4-month old babies in face-to-face interactions with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers.

  Primary caregiver fathers, like mothers, spend more time smiling, imitating and holding infants than secondary caregiver fathers.

  This shows that fathers can be the more nurturing attachment figure.
• - Fathers don't generally become primary attachments


  E - The fact that fathers don't tend to become the primary attachment figure could be the result of traditional gender roles, in which women are expected to be more caring and nurturing than men.

  E - This suggests that fathers simply don't feel they should act like that which means they typically don't become primary attachment figures.

  L - Therefore, if traditional gender roles are ever overriden, we may see more primary attachments to fathers.
• Schaffer


  Found that infants' primary attachment figure was most frequently their mother alone (65%); 30% both parents and only 3% the father alone.

  However, at 18 months, 75% of the infants had formed an attachment to their father, showing separation anxiety, suggesting fathers play an important role in their infant's lives.
• The importance of active play


  Fathers are seen to engage babies in active 'play' activities more consistently than mothers. Fathers' interactions emphasise stimulation, and so it is thought their role is to encourage risk-taking behaviours, compared to the more comforting style of mothers.
• As a primary caregiver


  In modern Western society, mothers are more likely to take part in the workplace; there is evidence to suggest that if men take on the role of primary caregivers, their interactional style changes to be more like mothers, increasing the capacity for sensitive responsiveness.
• Mothers vs fathers (Grossman)


  Grossman carried out a longitudinal study looking at both parents' behaviour and its relationship to the quality of children's attachments at 6, 10 and 16 years. Quality of infant attachments with mothers was related to children's attachments in adolescence, suggesting that the father attachment is less important. The quality of father's play with infants was related to the quality of adolescent attachments. Fathers have a different role in attachment, more to do with play and stimulation than nurturing.
• Bowlby

  If patterns of attachment are a product of how an infant's mother has treated them, it could be anticipated that the pattern they develops with their father is the product of how their father has treated them.Fathers can fill a role closely resembling that filled by a mother. This is uncommon in most cultures.A father is more likely to engage in physically active play than the mother and tends to be the child's 'play companion'.
• / Research on the role of the father is socially sensitive


  E - Research that argues the role of the mother cannot be replaced by the father may lead to father led families feeling they cannot provide for the needs of infants.

  E - This could lead to psychological consequences that may effect the father and the child.

  L - However, this research could give all father's confidence to take a more active role in their child's caregiving.
• + Economic implications


  E - due to the research into the importance of the father's role, legislation may be changed in order to have equal paternity and maternity leave.

  E - allows father's to spend an equal amount of time with their child.

  L - However, this could reduce economic activity if they go back to work later.