Attachment Figures and Role of Father

• There is evidence to suggest fathers are much less likely to be babies first attachment figure compared to mothers.
• Some researchers claim men arent equipped to form an attachment. They point to biological evidence which suggests oestrogen underlies caring behaviour which men don’t have. Other researchers argue fathers take a playmate role rather than caregiver.
• Other researchers argue fathers can demonstrate sensitive responsiveness so can therefore form a strong emotional bond.
• Grossman carried out a longitudal study looking at both parents’ behaviour and it’s relationship to the quality of the children’s attachment into their teens. Quality of infant attachments with mothers was related to children’s attachment in adolescence. However the quality of the play with the father was also related to children’s attachment in adolescence. This suggests fathers have a different role (less to do with emotional development) which may suggest attachment with fathers is less important.
• A baby’s relationship with the primary attachment figure forms a basis of later close emotional relationships. There is some evidence to suggest when fathers take on this role they are able to adopt the emotional role more typically associated with mothers.
• Tiffany Field filmed 4 month old babies face to face interaction with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers. The primary fathers spent more time smiling, imitating and holding babies (part of reciprocity and interactional synchrony) than the secondary fathers. Suggesting fathers have the potential to be the more emotion-focused primary figure, but perhaps only show this when given the role.
• However studies show that children in lesbian-parent or single-mother families don’t develop differently to children in a two-parent heterosexual family. So the question as to if fathers have a distinctive role remains unanswered. Although it could be that the parents from these families adapt to accommodate the role played by fathers.
• This evidence of the role of the father can offer advice to parents if they are unsure of who should be the primary caregiver. It can reassure the father that he is capable of becoming the primary attachment figure. Also lesbian-parent or single-mother families can be reassured that not having a father doesn’t affect the child’s development.
• There could be gender stereotypes that could lead to unintentional observer bias (they see what they expect to see rather than reality). This may mean some research could be invalid.