Cultural Variations In Attachment Flashcards
Outline Van Ijzendoorn’s meta analysis.
Conducted a meta analysis using 8 countries: USA, UK, Holland, Germany, Japan, China, Israel and Sweden.
Wanted to investigate the patterns of attachment across a variety of cultures.
UK has highest percentage of secure attachments.
Germany had highest percentage of insecure-avoidant attachments - means children are more independent.
Israel had highest percentage of insecure-resistant attachments.
Simonelli et al
Conducted an Italian study.
Studied 76 one year olds.
Studied them using the strange situation.
Findings:
50 percent secure.
36 percent insecure-avoidant.
14 percent insecure-resistant.
There is an increase of insecure-avoidant attachment as mothers with young children are becoming more occupied and so are using professional childcare.
Give 2 strengths of research into cultural variations in attachment.
- Studies often have large sample sizes.
Van Ijzendoorn’s meta-analysis consisted of a total of 2000 babies with their primary attachment figure.
Large sample size increases validity and the representativeness of the findings.
The impact of anomalous results, caused by bad methodology, are reduced.
- Indigenous researchers
Researchers from same background as pps.
Shows there are no misunderstandings.
Enhances validity of research.
Give one limitation of research into cultural variation in attachment.
Imposed etic (assuming that an idea or technique that works in one cultural context will work in another)
Research: Can be seen in the strange situation.
In Britain and the USA, lack of affection during the reunion
stage may indicate an avoidant attachment whereas in
Germany, such behaviour would be interpreted as
independence, not insecurity.
Therefore, behaviours measured in the strange situation may not have the same meanings in different cultures, and so comparing the behaviours across different cultures is meaningless.
