Paternal Role

Synonyms

Father responsibility

Definition

Male parent of the child typically seen as a secondary role to the maternal position

Introduction

It is clear times have changed in most societies when one looks at the role of the father from the primitive eras to the twenty-first century. Fathers typically are seen as a secondary caregiver in most societies around the world, while the woman is mainly responsible for the child, especially in the beginning critical stages of life. So, this begs the questions of what roles males typically have in the development of their offspring, and what happens when there is an absence of this?

Evolution of the Paternal Role

Various pieces have investigated the differences of maternal from paternal roles and what investment fathers have in their children. Typically, it was believed that men in order to maximize their reproductive success would attempt to reproduce with as many females as possible. Males were typically known to invest more in mating rather...