ABSTRACT

DorotheaE.Dette-Hagenmeyer1, AndreaB. Erzinger2, and BarbaraReichle1

1Department ofPsychologyandSociology,LudwigsburgUniversityofEducation, Ludwigsburg, Germany 2Institute of Research on Teaching Profession and on Development of Competencies, University of Teacher Education St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

The most universal property of a father is his biological (i.e., genetic) contribution to his children. Thus, fathers are indispensable for human reproduction. However, biologically speaking, the mother has more to invest than the father by enduring a long pregnancy, giving birth, and subsequently feeding and caring for the infant. After conception, the male is not needed anymore for the survival of the child if the mother is able to take care of herself or is cared for by others during pregnancy and childbed. Hence, fathers are much more biologically dispensable than mothers (see Werneck, 1998). After birth, the role of the mother is determined by the needs of the newborn-food and care. Support can come from the father or from others. Socially, however, humankind has developed many cultures and societies that include the father in the care of children and the family.