Cross-Cultural research into attachment

Question 1

AO1

Answer 1

The strange situation/attachment is affected by cultural differences

However, a child’s temperament (biology) may account for different attachment styles being demonstrated other than culture

Question 2

AO1 Results

Answer 2

Ainsworth (USA) 70% 20% 10%

Sagi (Israel) 37% 13% 50%

Grossman and Grossman (Germany) 33% 49% 18%

Miyake (Japan) 68% 0% 32%

The highest proportion of Secure attachment was found in Great Britain

Also found differences within cultures (1.5 times greater than between cultures) e.g. middle class vs working class For instance, one of their Japanese studies showed no avoidant attachment babies, whereas the second found around 20%, which is similar to Ainsworth’s original findings

Question 3

Miyake (Japan) 68% 0% 32%

Answer 3

Miyake findings can be explained by a culture of close parent-child proximity and desirability of non-crying children

Japanese children are kept close to their mothers much of the time, which would explain why no anxious avoidant/ Why the children cry when separated/are difficult to comfort because it is so unusual

Question 4

Grossman and Grossman (Germany) 33% 49% 18%

Answer 4

Grossman and Grossman’s study findings can be explained by a cultural ideology of independent children

German parents encourage independence so don’t cry when separated/avoidant type

Question 5

Sagi (Israel) 37% 13% 50%

Answer 5

Sagi’s findings can be explained by the lack of close proximity between parents and children and the employment of the kibbutz studies (which leads to inconsistent care between different adults)

Further studies of modern Israeli kibbutz where parents cohabit with their children show more secure attachment

Question 6

Vanijzendoorn & Kroonenberg

Answer 6

meta analysis showed that: Secure attachments were the most common form in all of the cultures surveyed (all but one study- G&G 1985)- therefore due to narture