ABSTRACT
The underlying assumption in our discussion of the father-son relationship was that sons are expected to separate and establish a distinctive identity. Fathers’ perceptions of their daughters are fundamentally different. Within 24 hours of birth, fathers were more likely to describe their newborn daughters as little, delicate, cute, weak and beautiful (Rubin et al., 1974). Fathers vocalized more to 5-monthold daughters than to sons (Palkovitz, 1984), and were more affectionate toward their 3-to 5-year-old daughters (Noller, 1978). In contrast with boys, young girls were described as having a closer relationship with their fathers, and fathers revealed a strong socialemotional nurturance during their daughters’ childhood years. However, this support was in a mode in which fathers excessively protected their daughters from exposure to the external world and hence inhibited their autonomy (Lamb et al., 1974). This chapter will discuss the possible reasons for fathers’ differential and over-protective attitudes toward their daughters. We will later elaborate on the implications of such paternal attitudes on daughters’ development during adolescence.
