Attachment
Discuss research into role of the father (16 marks)
AO1 - Fathers can have unique roles in development; Unique style of play and
stimulation that has positive impacts on children’s independence, confidence
and later academic achievement. Can be as a primary caregiver. Although this
has not traditionally been the role of the father, it is becoming increasingly
normalised, and in some different cultures to the West, fathers play a more
central role. Schaffer and Emerson (1964) showed in Glasgow study that 75% of
infants studied had formed an attachment with the father at 18 months.
Similarly, research, for example from Field (1978), supports the fact that fathers
can be the primary attachment figure. Field (1978) filmed 4-month old babies in
face-to-face interaction with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver
fathers and primary caregiver fathers. Primary caregiver fathers, like mothers,
spent more time smiling, imitating and holding infants than the secondary
caregiver fathers. This behaviour appears to be important in building an
attachment with the infant. So, it seems that fathers can be the more nurturing
attachment figure. The key to the attachment relationship is the level of
responsiveness not the gender of the parent. Field’s research also shows that the
father in a single parent family is more likely to adopt the traditional maternal
role. Furthermore, Grossman (2002) carried out a longitudinal study looking at
both parents’ behaviour and its relationship to the quality of children’s
attachments into their teens. Found that the quality of a fathers’ play with
infants was related to the quality of adolescent attachments. This suggests that
fathers have a different role in attachment – one that is more to do with play and
stimulation, and less to do with nurturing. Research shows that the father may
fulfil a qualitatively different role from that of the mother – play vs. emotional
support – but this is just as crucial to the child’s wellbeing. Research shows that
the role of the father may differ depending on the gender of the child.
AO3
Shaffer and Emerson; narrow sample therefore easy to replicate. However, low
population validity, Glasgow people, working class - therefore lacks
generalizability. + high ecological validity interviewed in their own home so it
shows us how they would behave normally therefore better than the lab
experiments. Self-report - interviews = + 1st hand info, current therefore
accurate. social desirability bias. Its participant observation. + confirms the self-
report data.
There is economic benefit of research in understanding role of father :
Increasingly, fathers remain at home and therefore contribute less to the
economy, consequently more mothers may return to work and contribute to the
economy. Changing laws on paternity leave – Paternity leave is government-
funded so affects the economy. There is also an impact upon employers from
potential increased father absence in the work place. Gender pay gap may be
reduced if parental roles are regarded as more equal.
There is inconsistency in the research as to the role of the father and whether he
plays a distinct role.
Research investigating the effects of growing up in single or same-sex parent
families suggests there is little effect on development and therefore suggests
that the distinct role of the father is not that important.
, Attachment
Research into the importance of primary attachment figures is socially sensitive,
as later abnormalities in development e.g intellectual disabilities are often
blamed on that primary attachment figure. This means that a single father or
mother may be pressured to put of work in order to increase likelihood of their
child to form a secure attachment
Evolutionary psychologists suggest there are innate survival reasons for
biological differences in male/female roles in attachment.
Discuss research into role of the father (16 marks)
AO1 - Fathers can have unique roles in development; Unique style of play and
stimulation that has positive impacts on children’s independence, confidence
and later academic achievement. Can be as a primary caregiver. Although this
has not traditionally been the role of the father, it is becoming increasingly
normalised, and in some different cultures to the West, fathers play a more
central role. Schaffer and Emerson (1964) showed in Glasgow study that 75% of
infants studied had formed an attachment with the father at 18 months.
Similarly, research, for example from Field (1978), supports the fact that fathers
can be the primary attachment figure. Field (1978) filmed 4-month old babies in
face-to-face interaction with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver
fathers and primary caregiver fathers. Primary caregiver fathers, like mothers,
spent more time smiling, imitating and holding infants than the secondary
caregiver fathers. This behaviour appears to be important in building an
attachment with the infant. So, it seems that fathers can be the more nurturing
attachment figure. The key to the attachment relationship is the level of
responsiveness not the gender of the parent. Field’s research also shows that the
father in a single parent family is more likely to adopt the traditional maternal
role. Furthermore, Grossman (2002) carried out a longitudinal study looking at
both parents’ behaviour and its relationship to the quality of children’s
attachments into their teens. Found that the quality of a fathers’ play with
infants was related to the quality of adolescent attachments. This suggests that
fathers have a different role in attachment – one that is more to do with play and
stimulation, and less to do with nurturing. Research shows that the father may
fulfil a qualitatively different role from that of the mother – play vs. emotional
support – but this is just as crucial to the child’s wellbeing. Research shows that
the role of the father may differ depending on the gender of the child.
AO3
Shaffer and Emerson; narrow sample therefore easy to replicate. However, low
population validity, Glasgow people, working class - therefore lacks
generalizability. + high ecological validity interviewed in their own home so it
shows us how they would behave normally therefore better than the lab
experiments. Self-report - interviews = + 1st hand info, current therefore
accurate. social desirability bias. Its participant observation. + confirms the self-
report data.
There is economic benefit of research in understanding role of father :
Increasingly, fathers remain at home and therefore contribute less to the
economy, consequently more mothers may return to work and contribute to the
economy. Changing laws on paternity leave – Paternity leave is government-
funded so affects the economy. There is also an impact upon employers from
potential increased father absence in the work place. Gender pay gap may be
reduced if parental roles are regarded as more equal.
There is inconsistency in the research as to the role of the father and whether he
plays a distinct role.
Research investigating the effects of growing up in single or same-sex parent
families suggests there is little effect on development and therefore suggests
that the distinct role of the father is not that important.
, Attachment
Research into the importance of primary attachment figures is socially sensitive,
as later abnormalities in development e.g intellectual disabilities are often
blamed on that primary attachment figure. This means that a single father or
mother may be pressured to put of work in order to increase likelihood of their
child to form a secure attachment
Evolutionary psychologists suggest there are innate survival reasons for
biological differences in male/female roles in attachment.
