The Role of the Father

Evaluation

Attachment to Fathers

Schaffer and Emerson found that only 3% of the time was the father the sole attachment figure and in 27% of cases they were a joint first attachment with the mother

75% of babies go on to have an attachment with their father by 18 months

Distinctive Role for Fathers

Grossman et al (2002) carried out a longitudinal study where babies attachments were studied up into their teens

Attachment with mothers but not fathers was was related to attachments in adolesence

Evidence suggests that fathers have a different role to mothers; one that is more to do with play and stimulation

Fathers as Primary Attachment figure

A baby's first attachment forms the basis for all other later emotional attachments

There is evidence to suggest that when fathers do take on the role of primary attachment figure they are able to adopt the more emotional role

Field (1978) filmed 4 month old babies in face- to-face interactions with primary caregiver mothers and secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers

Found that primary attachment fathers spent more time smiling, imitating and holding babies

fathers have the potential to be the more emotion-focused primary attachment figure

Evaluation

Confusion over research question

lack of clarity over the question being asked: some researchers are concerned over fathers as the secondary attachment whereas others focus on fathers as the primary attachment figure

Some have therefore found that mothers and fathers have different distinct role whereas others have found that fathers can take on the maternal role

Conflicting Evidence

The findings may vary depending on the methodology used

Longitudinal studies such as Grossman et al show that fathers as a secondary attachment figure have an important role in play and stimulation development

However if fathers have a distinct role then why do children growing up on lone-parent or homosexuals' families not develop any differently - McCallum and Golombuk (2004)

COUNTERPOINT: However it could just be that fathers have a distinct role in heteronormative relationships but in other types of families the parents adapt to not having a father

Real world Application

can offer advice to parents: fathers are also capable of being the primary attachment figure, mothers can then go back to work.

Not having a father does not affect a childs development

Bias

Researchers preconceptions about stereotypical roles and their own experience could lead to bias in their findings