Sociology Research into Father-Daughter Relationships

Statement of the Problem:

Research over the years has emphasized the role family has upon children within a family system. The role a mother plays for her children has been researched continuously for decades, often neglecting the impact of the father. With this lack of knowledge surrounding a father's paternal responsibilities and implications as a nurturer, it is important to examine the consequences of their actions on their children's future. Recently, research has begun to include the father's role, in particular to their daughter and features they look for in their romantic counterparts. If this research were to establish that young girls follow their father's prototype when choosing a romantic partner, parenting styles may change and fathers might become more involved. More importantly, fathers would know their role as not just the provider for material things but for emotional and psychological stability. Father daughter relationships are an important area to research because reports show that father involvement can be vital to children, improving their social skills and future adult relationships.

In present time dads share with mothers the same level of emotional response to new-born babies and are just as sensitive and affectionate when looking after their babies (Secunda, 1992). Today more than half of all children are raised by single mothers and twenty eight percent of children are raised in single parent homes. Fathers are now the main care givers for children when mothers are working. In thirty percent of dual earner families, it is now the father more than any other individual, who cares for children when the mother is at work. If it proves true that daughters search for romantic partners like t...

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...ch should lead to additional investigation on a father's effect in all areas of the family. Researchers could look more deeply at the impact attachment plays in father son relationships and if or how a son's attachment to his mother was satisfying. Also, how these relationships impacted his choices of a female counterpart. Furthermore, different variables then satisfaction and attachment style could result in a deeper look at a daughter's relationship with her father and her romantic partner. Future researchers should revise this study by conducting a questionnaire to find out the comparable aspects between the father and the romantic partner. Another method that could be useful in conducting this research is an interview of the subjects. Interviews allow the researcher to obtain more personal information that could potentially affect the study in the long run.