3: Parenting: Role of Mothers and Fathers

similarities between both parents for relationships with children

-both respond favorably to birth -both competent in caring for newborn -both adjust speech with young children -similar autonomic responses to infant cry -both encourage babies to solve problems

Achievement and intellectual development

-father's involvement= mixed results, middle class boys with nurturing fathers excel when read more, encourage curiosity -highly involved dads have impact on daughters cognitive development -both fathers and mothers encourage achievement more in boys than girls -paternal encouragement related to achievement, paternal rejection impairs achievement -fathers with low expectations and close relationships with daughters inhibits performance

differential role of parents

-fathers more physically stimulating and playful -mothers conventional play, caretaking -this pattern continues into adolescence -some cultural influences (ex. in US fathers back away from prepubescent girls) -fathers "instrumental" (mastery and competence) while mothers "expressive" (relationships, emotional support) -both play but moms don't play for as large a proportion of time -mothers promote nurturance, verbal and intellectual skills -fathers encourage independence, increase resilience, associated with curiosity and willingness to explore environment and react competently to complex and novel stimuli

maternal role on emotional development

-maternal reactions impact feelings of self-consciousness -if emphasize negative by critical of failure, children had high level shame and little pride after success -if praise successes (NOT everything), children more prideful in accomplishments and less shame in failing

differences between parents

-mothers pick up babies in low-keyed manners in a pattern; fathers activate babies and alternate -men tolerate more frustration on infant's part before remove obstacles --> babies laugh and cry more -mothers more toy mediated play; men more rough and tumble

social competence

-warm father-son relationship --> greater social competence, self esteem and adjustment -warm father-daughter relationship linked to self esteem, pos male-female relationships -direct influence of men's participation in childcare for children's prosocial development among 3 year olds

what changed in research emphasis after 1960's (away from emphasizing maternal role)?

1. wondered if fathers had role in socialization (strong relationship, diff relationships if both parents present) 2. shift in family structure changed father-child relationship bc father may be absent or might be surrogate caretaker for mother if she is unavailable 3. fathers more active/vocal in wishes/desires to be integral figures in child's life 4. different qualities of interaction (direct interaction of working mothers less frequent than expected) 5. amt time not direct correspondence to influence 6. infants not passive recipients, can elicit diff behaviors for mom and dad

Fathers have increased contact with their children

1970s: Fathers about 1/3 as engaged compared to their mothers compared to their mothers. In 2010, 3/4 as engaged as their mothers

how does parental dyad influence child?

Children learn how to behave in the social world; -more hostile-competitive co-parenting = more likely aggressive -cooperative co-parenting = more pos social emotional development

impact of being raised by a primary caregiver father

active and competent with the majority above norms in problem solving and social adaptation

how does seeing father as sensitive, caring being affect how they act later?

children more likely to grow up that way

what is one of the most powerful predictors of empathy in childhood and adulthood?

how much time father spent with children

effect of father as emotional support

if father more supportive and encouraging, mom more patient, flexible, emotionally responsive, sensitive, and available to their infants and young children

how did industrialization lead to increased role differentiation?

led to long hours away from home and fields so fathers seen more as economic providers than socializers/trainers; both parents weren't working and sharing childrearing duties scholars also promoted women as natural caregiver given lactation

What were Weinraub and Frankel's findings regarding gender identity?

men more likely to touch and vocalize with infant sons, spend more time sharing play and playing

What were Maccoby and Jacklin's findings regarding gender identity?

men's language and physical handling style shift for boy/girl infants and children

what kind of responses do children with difficult temperaments or behavior problems provoke?

more coercive responses?

findings on children of gay and lesbian parents

no scientific evidence that parenting effectiveness related to parental sexual orientation; equally likely as heterosexual parents

impact of being a primary caregiver father?

ower gender stereotypes, friendly, more sympathetic, find parenting enriching -choose the role for various reasons: earning power, child care alternatives, parental history

social referencing

parents' emotional expressions and reactions to ambiguous information provide guide to response (ex will turn back to parent to check if curious or fearful) children learn about themselves and how to react to the world other referents- siblings peers, tv

paternal involvement associated with what kind of behavior?

prosocial behavior and moral behavior (in both sons and daughters)

Bi-directionality

set of interactive processes whereby parents and children react to each other/influence each other