AO3: Evaluation
😊✅Supporting Evidence for Fathers’ Influence (Grossman, 2002Found that fathers' play quality was linked to adolescent attachment security, showing they have a unique role in development.
😊✅Fathers Can Be Primary Attachment Figures (Field, 1978)
When fathers take on the primary role, they show maternal sensitivity, proving that attachment is based on responsiveness, not gender.
😊✅Real-World Applications: Research supports equal parental leave policies and encourages fathers’ involvement in child-rearing.
😟❌ Inconsistent Research Findings Some studies focus on fathers as playmates, while others show they can be nurturing caregivers, making it difficult to define their role.
😟❌Studies show that children in single-mother or same-sex parent families do not suffer negative effects, questioning the importance of fathers in attachment.
✘ Biological & Social Explanations for Fathers Being Less Nurturing
😟❌Hormonal differences (e.g., mothers have higher oestrogen, which promotes caregiving).