Mothers who dismiss the importance of early relationships or describe them in angry, confused ways usually have insecurely attached babies. Fathers' childhood recollections are less clearly related to attachment. Bowlby believed that infants are predisposed to direct their attachment behaviors to a single attachment figure. This preference typically declines over the second year of life. Fathers' sensitive caregiving predicts secure attachment.
Mothers spend more time in physical care, while fathers spend more time in playful interaction.
As a result, babies tend to look to their mothers when distressed and to their fathers for playful stimulation. Highly involved fathers are less gender stereotyped in their beliefs, have sympathetic, warm personalities, and regard parenthood as an especially enriching experience. A warm, gratifying marital partnership supports both parents' involvement with babies. Eighty percent of American children grow up with at least one sibling. Conflict between siblings increases when one member of a sibling pair is emotionally intense or highly active.