Effect of Gender and Caretaking Role on Parent—Infant Interaction

Abstract

After decades in which developmental psychologists focused exclusively on mother—infant relationships, researchers have recently begun to study father—infant relationships as well (Lamb, 1978; Parke, 1979). These studies confirm that many fathers interact sensitively and responsively with their infants (Parke & Sawin, 1980) and that most infants form attachments to both their mothers and fathers at roughly the same age (Lamb, 19776). Despite such similarities between mother— and father—infant relationships, some important differences between maternal and paternal styles have also been identified. Mothers’ interactions tend to be centered around caretaking, whereas fathers’ interactions are characterized by play—especially physically stimulating play (Clarke-Stewart, 1978; Lamb, 1976, 1977b; Yogman, Dixon, Tronick, Als, Adamson, Lester, & Brazelton, 1977). Lamb (1978) has speculated that the distinctive sex stereotyped patterns of parent—infant interaction occupy an important place in the development of gender identity.