AO1

• A father is not necessarily the biological parent, but a male role-model in the infants life.
• The role of the father has changed drastically over the past 70 years. Previously, men had no paternity leave and were the 'breadwinners' of the family. Industrialisation and war meant that a lot of men were away from home for work or serving. Nowadays, fathers are entitled to paternity leave, parental responsibility and antenatal appointments.
• Research into the role of the father covers a variety of areas:

  • Parent-infant attachment
  • Different roles
  • Fathers as primary attachment figures
• Parent-Infant Attachment

  Schaffer and Emerson found that the majority of babies became attached to their mothers first (primary) at around 7 months, and a few weeks/months after they formed a secondary attachment to their father. 75% of infants studied had formed an attachment to their father by 18 months. 3% of infants attached to their fathers first. 27% showed father as joint attachment.
• Different Roles

  Grossman carried out a longitudal study into how the quality of infant attachment affects them in their teens. They found that teenagers are most affected by the quality of attachment to their mothers, suggesting that father attachment was less important. However, the roles of mothers and fathers are equally as important but for different reasons. Fathers play is crucial for play and simulation, rather than mothers for nurturing.
• Fathers as Primary Attachment Figure

  Field filmed 4 month old babies in face-to-face interactions with primary caregiver mothers, primary caregiver fathers and secondary caregiver fathers. They found no difference between the standard of care between primary caregiver mothers and fathers, and that primary caregiver fathers spent more time smiling, imitating and holding the infant than secondary caregiver fathers.