Fathers: Forgotten Contributors to Child Development

Abstract

Theoretical and research literature on the role of fathers in child development is reviewed. The first section points out that there is little known about father-infant interaction, and the impact of the father on infant social development, though diverse theoretical perspectives all assume that the father’s role is minimal, and, at best, indirect. It is suggested that this assumption is unsubstantiated. Fathers are believed to play an influential role in later child development, though the theoretical assumptions, again, are inadequately validated by research. A new hypothesis is proposed whereby fathers are seen as playing a vitally important role in socialization, yet one which is qualitatively different from that played by mothers. Various research designs are suggested whereby this hypothesis can be subject to empirical validation.

Gender balance in ECEC: why is there so little progress?

“…The importance of fathers for the development of young children is widely accepted (Lamb 1975(Lamb , 2004Le Camus 2000). At the same time, ECEC remains a female dominated field of work.…”

Qualidade da vinculação ao pai e à mãe e o desenvolvimento da amizade recíproca em crianças de idade pré-escolar

“…Lamb (1975) propôs a hipótese que a figura paterna exerce um papel fundamental na socialização da criança, papel esse qualitativamente diferente do papel desempenhado pela figura materna. Cerca de trinta anos mais tarde, e depois de uma vasta revisão de estudos sobre o papel do pai tendo em conta a ecologia da paternidade, Grossman et al (2002) concluíram que o pai desempenha um papel muito saliente de suporte nos aspectos exploratórios do fenómeno de base segura, providenciando segurança psicológica em momentos de brincadeira e excursões exploratórias, e permitindo que a criança se sinta segura ao experimentar certas coisas que as mães evitariam por considerarem perigosas.…”

La promotion de la paternité

“…Les conclusions de ces études se situent sur un continuum qui va d'une conception androgénique de la parentalité, reconnaissant peu ou pas de spécificité au père par rapport à la mère (Bem, 1976;Popenoe, 1993;Silverstein et Auerbach, 1999), à une conception de la paternité vue comme distincte de la maternité (Abelin, 1971;Kazura, 2000;Lamb, 1975Lamb, , 2004Le Camus, 2000;Miljkovitch, 1998;Paquette, 2005). Sur le plan de l'action sociale au regard de la parentalité, il y a principalement trois courants.…”