Cultural Variations In Attachment

Question 1

Strength: high population validity

Answer 1

Meta analysis of 32 strange situation studies, large sample of 2000 infants, easier to generalise findings to rest of target population, increases external validity

Question 2

Weakness: culture bias

Answer 2

Over half of research studies were carried out in the US, only 5 studies carried out in collectivist cultures, difficult to generalise the findings across all cultures when explaining types of attachment

Question 3

Weakness: imposed etic

Answer 3

Based on American child rearing practices, ignores practices in other cultures, lack of separation anxiety indicates an insecure avoidant type, in Germany this may been seen in a positive light as independence rather than avoidance or insecurity, SS may not be appropriate across all cultures