Cultural Variations In Attachment Content

Question 1

What is the main study for this topic?

Answer 1

Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988)

Question 2

What was the procedure of Kroonenberg (1988)?

Answer 2

. 32 studies of attachment where Strange situation had been used were meta-analaysed
. These 32 studies were conducted across 8 countries (15 of them were in USA)
. The 32 studies yielded results for 1990 children
. In the meta-analysis, the results were combined and weighted for sample size

Question 3

What were the general findings of Kroonenberg (1988)?

Answer 3

. Wide variations in the proportions of attachment types in different studies
. Secure attachment most common across all countries
. Insecure-resistant was the least common attachment type
. Insecure-avoidant attachments observed most commonly in Germany and least commonly in Japan
. Variations between results of studies within the same country were 150% greater than those between countries

Question 4

What was the aim of the Kroonenberg study?

Answer 4

Investigate whether there were inter-cultural differences (between different countries/cultures) or intra-cultural differences (within same culture) into attachment

Question 5

What is an individualist culture?

Answer 5

One that emphasises personal independence and achievement at the expensive of group goals

E.g Germany as they value independence, giving way to more insecure avoidant infants

Question 6

What is a collectivist culture?

Answer 6

One that emphasises family and work goals above individual needs and desires. There is a high degree of interdependence (working together) between people

E.g in Japanese culture where the emphasis is on togetherness. This gives way to insecure resistant infants

Question 7

What was the range of secure attachment in Kroonenberg study?

Answer 7

Highest: 75% in Britain
Lowest: 50% in China

Question 8

What was the range of insecure-resistant attachment in Kroonenberg study?

Answer 8

Lowest: 3% in Britain
Highest: 30% in Israel

Question 9

What was the range of insecure-avoidant attachment in Kroonenberg study?

Answer 9

Highest: Germany
Lowest: Japan

Question 10

What evidence is there that cultural variation is greater in intracultural difference?

Answer 10

In USA, one study found 46% securely attached compared to another sample as high as 90%, also in the USA

This shows there are intracultural differences as subcultures within a country have different cultural practices that can affect the dominant attachment type

Question 11

What view does the cultural similarities found in the Kroonenberg study support?

Answer 11

The idea that attachment is an innate and biological process, rather than different child rearing methods used in different countries

Question 12

What other evidence is there that attachment is culturally similar, not different depending on various child rearing practices?

Answer 12

Tronick et al (1972):
. Studied an African tribe, the Efe, who lived in extended family groups
. The infants were looked after and breastfed by different women but still showed primary attachment towards mother

This supports the idea that attachment is innate and therefore secure attachment is the optimal form of attachment for all humans across all cultures

Question 13

Which two studies show cultural differences and what does this suggest?

Answer 13

Grossmann and Grossmann (1991)
Takahashi (1990)

These cultural differences are most likely caused by different child rearing practice, which contradicts the idea of innate attachment with the cultural similarities. This shows the inconsistencies of findings on cultural variation as culture is a complex topic.

Question 14

What were the findings of Grossmann and Grossmann (1991) and why?

Answer 14

. Higher levels of insecure attachment among German infants than other cultures

Due to different child rearing practices: German culture involves keeping some interpersonal distance between parents and children as it is an individualist culture, so infants don’t engage in proximity-seeking behaviours in Strange situation and appear to be insecurely attached

Question 15

What was the procedure of Takahashi (1990)?

Answer 15

. Used strange situation to study 60 middle-class Japanese infants and their mothers

Question 16

What were the findings of Takahashi (1990)?

Answer 16

. Secure attachment levels similar to original strange situation
. Japanese infants showed no evidence of insecure-avoidant
. High rates of insecure-resistant - 32%
. Infants particularly stressed when alone, so extreme that 90% of them stopped the study at this point

Question 17

What is the explanation for Takahashi (1990) findings?

Answer 17

Different childcare practices: Japanese infants are rarely separated from mother as it is a collectivist culture. This makes them seem insecurely attached compared to American counterparts

Question 18

What conclusions can be drawn from the Kroonenberg study?

Answer 18

. Global pattern of attachment type across cultures is similar to that in US
. Secure attachment is the ‘norm’
- supports idea that secure attachment is ‘best’ for so healthy social and emotional development
. These cultural similarities support view that attachment is innate and biological process

THESE CONCLUSIONS ONLY HOLD FOR CULTURALLY SIMILAR FINDINGS IN STUDIES, THERE IS MUCH INCONSISTENCY ACROSS STUDIES ON CULTURAL VARIATION OF ATTACHMENT

Question 19

What conclusions can be drawn from studies of cultural variations on attachment generally?

Answer 19

. Despite cultural variations in infant care arrangements, the strongest attachments are still formed with the infants mother
. There are differences in patterns of attachment across cultures due to different culture attitudes and practices
. The findings of different studies are inconsistent, hard to draw a conclusion on which type of attachment is the ‘norm’ overall

Question 20

What is cultural variation?

Answer 20

The ways that different groups of people vary in terms of their social practices, and the effect these practices have on development and behaviour