Michael E. Lamb is a professor and former Head of the then Department of Social and Developmental Psychology at the University of Cambridge, known for his influential work in developmental psychology, child and family policy, social welfare, and law. His work has focused on divorce, child custody, child maltreatment, child testimony, and the effects of childcare on children's social and emotional development. His work in family relationships has focused on the role of both mothers and fathers and the importance of their relationships with children. Lamb's expertise has influenced legal decisions addressing same-sex parenting, advocating for fostering and adoption by adults regardless of their marital status or sexual orientations. Lamb has published approximately 700 articles, many about child adjustment, currently edits the APA journal Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, and serves on the editorial boards on several academic journals.
Education and career
Michael E. Lamb was born and grew up in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). He completed a degree in psychology and economics at the University of Natal in South Africa in 1972, before emigrating to the USA to pursue postgraduate studies in psychology at Johns Hopkins University. As a student of Mary Ainsworth, Lamb developed his understanding of early social development research and observational methodology. He later completed his doctoral degree at Yale University, where his research on infant-parent attachment drew heavily on attachment theory and was facilitated by a chance encounter with Urie Bronfenbrenner. Bronfenbrenner encouraged Lamb to observe infants with their mothers and fathers, emphasizing the importance of ecological validity in research. Lamb conducted a comprehensive longitudinal study on early family relationships, laying the groundwork for his influential work on children's development. Ed Zigler also played an important role in supporting Lamb’s work at this time, reinforcing the significance of bridging theory and practice and conducting rigorous research.
Lamb's academic career has taken him to various prestigious institutions, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Michigan, and the University of Utah. In 1987, he joined the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) as a Senior Research Scientist, where he established the Section on Social and Emotional Development. In 2004, Lamb moved to the University of Cambridge, where he continued his impactful research in applied developmental psychology.
Major contributions
Factors affecting children's adjustment
Parent-child relationships
Attachments
Michael E. Lamb's work has contributed to understanding of infant-parent attachment and its influence on children's development. Lamb's longitudinal study of infants with their mothers and fathers revealed the broad range of significant relationships established in early childhood, emphasizing not only the mother-child bond but also the importance of father-child and other significant relationships, such as siblings and regular care providers.
Variations in father involvement
Building on his research on parent-child relationships, Lamb has explored variations in father involvement and their effects on children's development. This has included traditional and non-traditional families, single fathers, families in economic struggle, and those at risk regarding domestic violence. Lamb is editor of the book, The Role of the Father in Child Development, now in its fifth edition.
Divorce and parental separation
Lamb's research on children's adjustment after divorce shed light on the psychological and emotional effects of parental separation. Lamb's research demonstrated the crucial role of both mother-child and father-child relationships in promoting children's well-being after parental separation, informing guidelines for shared parenting arrangements. Together with colleagues Ross Thompson and David Chambers, Lamb challenged the prevailing notion that children would fare best after their parents' divorce if the relationships with the "primary" parent (usually mothers) were protected, even at the expense of contact with non-resident parents (usually fathers). He has stated that hundreds of papers show a higher risk of maladjustment in children when parents have separated and that maintaining a relationship with both parents minimizes the risk and the bad effects of parental separation.