Cultural Variations in Attachment Flashcards
What are cultural variations?
The differences in norms/values that exist between people in different groups
Describe van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s research into strange situation
- Meta-analysed 32 studies that used strange situation
- Included 8 countries, studies combined and analysed
- Found wide variations in proportion of attachment types but secure (B) most common
- Secure = 75% in Britain, 50% in China
- Insecure-resistant = in individualist cultures were similar to Ainsworth, collectivist e.g China/Israel above 25%
- Variation of results within same country greater than between countries
Describe the Italian cultural variations study (Simonelli et al)
- Studied proportions of different attachment types
- Assessed 76 babies ages 12 months using strange situation
- Found 50% secure, 36% insecure-avoidant
- Lower rate of secure + higher rate of insecure-avoidant than other studies
- (may be because more mothers work longer hours or seek professional childcare)
One strength of cultural variations
Indigenous researchers:
- Use psychologists from the same cultural background as participants
- e.g Takahashi who is Japanese
- Problems of cross-cultural research can be avoided (language misunderstanding/communicating with participants)
- Enhances validity
Two drawbacks of cultural variations
Confounding variables:
- Studies (used in comparison/meta-analysis) conducted in different countries are not matched for methodology
- Results confounded e.g by social class, poverty
- Also environmental variables may differ e.g size of room, availability of interesting toys
- Attachment behaviour in non-matched studies not helpful in cross-cultural studies
Imposed etic:
- Assume one idea/technique that works in one cultural context will work in another
- e.g SS, in Britain/US, lack of affection at reunion may indicate avoidance, but in Germany may indicate independence
- Behaviours measured by SS does not have same meaning across cultural contexts, comparisons are meaningless
