Essential Differences in the Meaning and Processes of Mothering and Fathering: Family Systems, Feminist and Qualitative Perspectives

Abstract

Although empirical studies have not consistently documented differences in mothering and fathering, differences in conceptualizations, opportunities for enactment, and meanings of mothering and fathering can be clearly demonstrated through family systems as well as feminist theories and qualitative research traditions. We argue that employing the same measures to assess fathering and mothering behaviors will document considerable differences in the involvement of mothers and fathers while masking differences in the roles, meanings, and processes associated with those behaviors. The employment of convergent behavioral measures can profitably occur in conjunction with efforts to identify theoretically rich areas where mothering and fathering are distinct in terms of processes and meanings; this will allow us to document essential differences noted in the lived experiences of family members.

Toward a Resource Theory of Fathering

“…Specifically, with slight modification, it can be applied to people of any social address or role while still employing the basic structure and nodes. Although it is possible that the proposed resource theory of fathering could be expanded to include mothering or to address parenting in general, Palkovitz, Trask, and Adamsons (2014) have argued that fathers are distinct from mothers in process and meaning as established through family systems and feminist theories as well as through existing qualitative data.…”

“…Although ethnographies and other qualitatively based investigations have made significant inroads toward capturing the lived experiences of fathers with different social addresses (Palkovitz, Trask, & Adamsons, 2014;Roy, 2014), no existing theories of fathering are developed enough to capture and explain diversity in the lived experience of men across class boundaries. It is not merely the case that many of the theories applied to fathering are old; perhaps a greater limitation is that they are "borrowed" theories, originally designed to explain other components of development or family relationships.…”

“…Because the lived experiences of fathers are distinct from those of mothers on several important dimensions (Palkovitz, Trask & Adamsons, 2014), we assume that a father-centric view of father-child relationship quality will provide different lenses to understand fathering in comparison to perspectives that merely include fathers in a wide array of factors that influence families, particularly those that rely on maternal reports. A resource approach to explaining diversity of fathering provides a father-centric, organizing construct that integrates across levels of analysis and previous theories and empirical findings.…”

A percepção de pessoas sem filhos sobre a função paterna de abertura ao mundo

“…Também, para Paquette e Dumont (2013a), os pais tendem a propiciar maior abertura ao mundo aos meninos que às meninas. Há outros estudos que apontam um maior envolvimento paterno com os filhos em relação às filhas, principalmente nas situações de brincadeiras (Levtov et al, 2015;Palkovitz, Trask, & Adamsons, 2014). Segundo Ignico e Mead (1990) os meninos sofrem um processo de socialização de gênero mais acentuado que as meninas, com incentivo de comportamentos esperados para homens e punição de atitudes e brincadeiras atribuídas ao gênero feminino.…”

“…Culturalmente espera-se que mulheres e meninas desenvolvam atividades mais relacionadas ao cuidado e assumam um papel mais passivo em suas relações, por outro lado, aos homens e meninos são atribuídas atividades mais competitivas e papel mais ativo nos grupos (Levtov et al, 2015;Palkovitz et al, 2014). Portanto, assim como os modelos de paternidade e maternidade são influenciados pelas expectativas e concepções sobre os papéis sociais de gênero de homens e mulheres (Botton, Cúnico, Barcinski, & Strey, 2015), também valores e crenças relacionados a comportamentos que os pais desejam e incentivam para os filhos, podem ter relação com o gênero da criança (Diniz & Salomão, 2010).…”