Cultural Variations - evaluation

Question 1

The samples used may not be representative of cultures

Answer 1

• Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s meta-analysis made
  comparisons between countries, not cultures
• Within any country there are different cultures each with different child-rearing practises
• For example, attachment types in urban Tokyo is similar
  proportions to western studies

Question 2

Meta-analysis can end up with very large samples

Answer 2

• In van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg meta-analysis there was a total of nearly 2000 babies
• This means that any poorly conducted study or unusual results only have a small effect on the overall results
• This increases the validity of the findings

Question 3

he Strange Situation may be biased towards American/British culture -

Answer 3

Ainsworth was an American researcher and it is based on a British theory (Bowlby)
- Trying to apply a theory or technique designed for one culture to another is known as imposed etic which disregards the notion of cultural uniqueness
- The idea that a lack of pleasure on reunion indicates insecure attachment is an imposed etic → in Germany this behaviour might be seen more as independance