role of the father

• Attachment to fathers-

  • Evidence suggests fathers are much less likely to become a baby's primary attachment figure compared to mothers
  • Schaffer & Emerson found only 3% of babies in their study had their father as their primary attachment figure. In 27% of cases, the father was joint first with the mother.
  • However, most fathers go on to become important attachment figures as 75% formed an attachment with their fathers by 18 months.
• Distinctive role for fathers-

  • do male caregivers make a unique contribution to early development?
  • Grossman's longitudinal study looked at parents' behaviour & its relationship to the quality of the baby's later attachment to others. Quality of a baby's attachment w/ mothers but not fathers was related to attachments in adolescence. This suggests that attachment to fathers is less important. Grossman found that the quality of fathers' play with babies was related to the quality of adolescent attachment. shows the father's role is more related to play & stimulation, not emotional development.
• Fathers as primary caregivers-

  Field (1978) found that fathers who were primary attachment figures acted in very similar ways to mothers who were primary attachment figures towards their children. This suggests that fathers are able, if required, to take on the more caring, nurturing role usually associated with the mother.
• Role of the father evaluation-

  1. RWA as it can be used to offer advice to parents
  2. the question 'what is the role of the father?' is confusing
  3. there are studies to support the role of the father theory (Grossman can be both AO1 and AO3)