Cross-cultural Research Into Attachment Types Flashcards
Who conducted Germany case study
Klaus and Karin Grossman
Germany participants
26 boys, 23 girls. Typical German native families with traditional divisions of labour in family
mother primary caregiver, father provider
2 year olds assessed using Strange situation
German results
24/49 showed insecure-avoidant (49%)
disproportionate attachment types to America
Why did german results vary
german children more independent from early age, accustomed to being left with other adults
What did Regensburg (1980) find
adapted so aren’t interpreted by traditional methods
avoidant not due to insensitivity of parenting but cultural belief of independence for children
Weakness of german sample
sample size not applicable to all german families
many culture-differences within culture
Who conducted japan study
Miyake et al (1985) and Takashi (1986)
Japan findings
no insecure-avoidant
more insecure-resistant than USSA (>30%)
japan statistics
33% anxious resistant
0% avoidant
65% secure
why did japan find this many insecure resistant attachments
children rarely separated from mother
did strange situation work for japan
not a valid tool
Strange situation measures cultural effect on attachment rather than maladaptive parenting
Representing unusual response to prodecure
Children gave reasonable distress as they had never been separated before but interpreted as anxious resistant where feelings are exaggerated, causing misclassification of secure as resistant
Who conducted israel’s study
Sagi et al (1985)
what was the living space experienced by the Israeli children
kibbutz
statistics found for israel
50% insecure-resistant
why was israel’s statistic this high
mothers absent and caregivers rotated shifts so continues and immediate attention could not be given by caregiver
raised in communal sleeping arrangements and those who slept with biologicalfamily had consistently attachment patterns found in USA
Ethnocentrism
Where you fail to take into account another culture’s language, practices and beliefs in research. Your own cultural views are used to interpret actions of other cultures.
Modern japanese families study and results
Takahashi 1986
Found modern families need to work more so regularly attachment proportions consistent with USA baseline proportions
Culture impact on israel sagi et al 1985
- Israeli kibbutz = children separated from mother (and dad) during day as they work and cared for by metapelets that work in shifts (childrearing is shared) and sleep in dorms.
-High anxious resistant was found using SSP (33%). Resistant behaviour more likely as the mother regularly absent and caregivers rotated shifts so couldn’t give full attention. (physical absence causes emotional absence)
-Sagi 1991 later compared kibbutz children with those who slept same room as mother found attachment patterns consistent with USA for same room sleepers.
(kibbutz culture causes inconsistent emotional availability)
