Cross-cultural Research Into Attachment Types

Question 1

Who conducted Germany case study

Answer 1

Klaus and Karin Grossman

Question 2

Germany participants

Answer 2

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

Question 3

German results

Answer 3

24/49 showed insecure-avoidant (49%)
disproportionate attachment types to America

Question 4

Why did german results vary

Answer 4

german children more independent from early age, accustomed to being left with other adults

Question 5

What did Regensburg (1980) find

Answer 5

adapted so aren’t interpreted by traditional methods
avoidant not due to insensitivity of parenting but cultural belief of independence for children

Question 6

Weakness of german sample

Answer 6

sample size not applicable to all german families
many culture-differences within culture

Question 7

Who conducted japan study

Answer 7

Miyake et al (1985) and Takashi (1986)

Question 8

Japan findings

Answer 8

no insecure-avoidant
more insecure-resistant than USSA (>30%)

Question 9

japan statistics

Answer 9

33% anxious resistant
0% avoidant
65% secure

Question 10

why did japan find this many insecure resistant attachments

Answer 10

children rarely separated from mother

Question 11

did strange situation work for japan

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Who conducted israel’s study

Answer 12

Sagi et al (1985)

Question 13

what was the living space experienced by the Israeli children

Answer 13

kibbutz

Question 14

statistics found for israel

Answer 14

50% insecure-resistant

Question 15

why was israel’s statistic this high

Answer 15

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

Question 17

Ethnocentrism

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

Modern japanese families study and results

Answer 18

Takahashi 1986
Found modern families need to work more so regularly attachment proportions consistent with USA baseline proportions

Question 19

Culture impact on israel sagi et al 1985

Answer 19

• 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)