Cultural variations Flashcards
What was Van iJzendoorn’s aim?
To investigate different proportions of types of attachment in children across different cultures and countries
What was Van Ijzendoorn’s procedure?
It was a meta analysis of 32 strange situation studies with 8 different countries and 18 studies from the USA, studies were weighed according to sample size
What were Van Ijzendoorn’s findings?
Secure attachment was more common across all cultures and insecure-resistant types were least common. Avoidant attachments had to highest proportion in. Germany and lowest in Japan. Variation within countries was greater than across countries
What were Van Ijzendoorn’s conclusions?
Secure attachment seems to be the most normal but also seems that different cultural practices of rearing a child effect attachment style
What are 2 strengths of Van Ijzendoorn’s study?
It was a meta-analysis and they used indigenous researchers
Why is the study being meta-analysis a strength?
Many studies used which reduces the effect of anomalies so overall conclusion is more likely to be accurate, providing good population validity.
Why is the strength of using indigenous researchers?
Lower chance of investigator effects by researchers and lower demand characterisation from participants as being interviewed by someone from same culture so lower cultural bias.
What is a limitation of Van iJzendoorn’s study?
Confounding variables
How are confounding variables a limitation?
Characteristics of the sample may not be matched e.g socio-economic background or age of infant and set up, size of the room and availability of toys may not be standardised leading to different attachment types being assumed.
