Passage
Psychology has reflected and contributed to the cultural bias of exalting motherhood at the expense of fatherhood. Sigmund Freud considered the mother, but not the father, to have a prominent role in infant development. Gadpaille argues that maternalism is instinctual to females, not only in the species but in mammals generally. He warns that anyone advocating "male mothering may bring harm to everyone concerned. " Strongly influenced by such psychological theory, our culture has been taken in by the "superiority of mother " theory.
Benjamin Spock, in a six—hundred—page book on child care, devotes just three pages to the role of fathers. While he admits that a man does not sacrifice his masculinity, Spock thinks child care is something the father should do only occasionally—just to help the mother out. Fathers who win custody of children in divorce proceedings are often advised that they should immediately hire full—time housekeepers to function as surrogate mothers.
But, alas, mothers who win custody are not told to provide surrogate fathers for them. Margaret Mead, the famous anthropologist, once remarked that "fathers are a biological necessity but a social accident. " Throughout the nineteenth and much of the twentieth century, our culture has been quite comfortable with this stereotypical view of fathers. "Less than ten percent of the scientific studies of parents have taken the father's role into account, in spite of the fact that half of all parents are fathers. " Society has not yet changed in any major ways with regard to fathers as nonparents. However, researchers have finally realized that "the motherhood role is not an inherited behavior pattern, but a learned set of social skills. "
Female children begin learning these social skills at a very early age; society makes no effort to see that boys learn these same social skills. Theories of "maternal instinct " and attachment or bonding as being exclusively maternal are now being called into question. Infants bond with both the mother and the father. A growing body of literature now reveals that fathers do have potential nurturance just as mothers do. Men are increasingly demanding to be accepted as nurturant parents rather than just the provider and protector.
Young men are beginning to reject the models of parenting provided by their fathers and are searching for ways to become parents as well as fathers. A radical restructuring of maleness and fatherhood is currently underway. Fathering and mothering are two distinct parental roles. When a male is nurturant, he is fathering, not mothering. Both mothering and fathering are valid roles, but they are by no means identical.
Question for 100 RCs for Practice Questions- 97
Try yourself:Fathers who exhibit which of the following actions could count on the author of this passage to give them his greatest support?
Explanation
The author only makes two major points in the passage: fatherhood should get more respect, and fathers should play more of a role in raising their children. The passage states that a father should be more than "the provider and protector. " Only (B) goes beyond those roles.
Wrong answers:
(A): Opposite. This fits the "provider " role.
(C): Opposite. This is almost identical to the situation outlined at the end of paragraph 2, of which the author clearly disapproves.
(D): Opposite. This also fits the "provider " role.
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Question for 100 RCs for Practice Questions- 97
Try yourself:For which of the following claims does the passage provide some supporting evidence or explanation?
Explanation
Remember that a passage is most likely to provide evidence or explanation for its main points, in this case, that fatherhood is good and is on the rise as an actively practiced role. Compare the answers to the passage, remembering to look not only for the point in the answer, but also for evidence to back it up. The first few lines of paragraph 5 reflect the idea outlined in (D); the rest of the paragraph backs it up.
Wrong answers:
(A): Out of Scope. The author never makes this claim.
(B): Opposite. As above.
(C): Opposite. As above.
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Question for 100 RCs for Practice Questions- 97
Try yourself:Based on information provided by the author in the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
Explanation
The author is big on fatherhood; look for an answer choice that either disputes this or would challenge a claim made in the passage. Alternatively, you can eliminate the three statements that fit with the author's goals. (D) runs directly counter to the point of the Margaret Mead quote.
Wrong answers:
(A): Opposite. The passage's main point.
(B): Opposite. Mentioned in paragraph 1.
(C): Opposite. Also in paragraph 2.
Strategy Point: Note how quick researching this question is if you jotted down the names of experts on your map. The CAT almost always asks questions about expert opinions, particularly if they oppose the author's opinions.
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Question for 100 RCs for Practice Questions- 97
Try yourself:Suppose that different studies each brought out one of the following findings respectively. The existence of which of the findings would most strongly challenge Sigmund Freud's opinion as it is presented in the passage?
Explanation
Paraphrase Freud's opinion, as stated in paragraph 1: mothers have a major role in infant development; father's don't. We're looking for the opposite. With the paraphrase and careful thought beforehand, (B) yields instant points.
Wrong answers:
(A): Opposite. This would support Dr Freud.
(C): Out of Scope. The passage doesn't deal with siblings.
(D): Out of Scope. ...or grandparents.
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Question for 100 RCs for Practice Questions- 97
Try yourself:In the context of the passage, the phrase "maternal instinct " (used in the fourth paragraph) refers to:
Explanation
Check the phrase in context. The author argues that maternal instinct doesn't exist, but is rather learned behavior. Therefore maternal instinct is the opposite: search for an answer choice that defines maternal instinct as non—learned, biological behavior. (C) fits.
Wrong answers:
(A): Out of Scope. This isn't mentioned in the context of the phrase.
(B): Opposite. The author argues this, but the term itself defines the opposite.
(D): Faulty Use of Detail. This is a detail mentioned in paragraph 4.
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Question for 100 RCs for Practice Questions- 97
Try yourself:All of the following statements about men and their role in parenting and the family would be consistent with the author's attitude toward young men in today's society EXCEPT:
Explanation
Research the author's points on "young men " in paragraph 4 and 5. They're basically doing what the author says they should do: rejecting traditional models and trying to become active parents. (D), were it true, would run counter to this trend and would therefore be inconsistent with the author's points.
Wrong answers:
(A): Opposite. The author's main point.
(B): Opposite. The author mentions this in paragraph 5.
(C): Opposite. If maternalism is learned, as the author argues in paragraph 4, the author must also believe this.
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