cultural variations in attachment - evaluation

Question 1

what is a strength for van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s study ?

Answer 1

• there was a total of almost 2000 babies and the primary attachement figure

Question 2

why and how is this strength for the research ?

Answer 2

• as a large sample size increases the internal validity of the study by reducing the impact of anomalous results caused by bad methodology or very unusual participants

Question 3

what is a limitation towards Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg
?

Answer 3

• are confounding variables on the findings

Question 4

what does this mean ?

Answer 4

• certain characteristics weren’t accounted for
  –> such as poverty, social class and urban/rural
• some environmental variables weren’t necessarily controlled between studies , i.e size of the room

Question 5

what does it mean for the research ?

Answer 5

• difficult to compare results on non-matched studies , as they may not tell us anything about cross-cultural patterns of attachment

Question 6

what is a strength within Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg about meta-analysis ?

Answer 6

• looked at used indigenous researchers from same background as the participants

Question 7

what is an example of strength of meta-analysis research ?

Answer 7

• Takahashi studying Japanese attachment and Grossmann studying German attachment

Question 8

what effect does it have on the research ?

Answer 8

• it means that many of the potential issues that come from misinterpreting or difficulty understanding indigenous language/behaviour are reduced
  –> overall increases the validity of the data collected

Question 9

what is imposed etic ?

Answer 9

• means that tools are being used are often designed in 1 culture and then imposed on another

Question 10

what does it mean that cross-cultural research is suffering from imposed etic ?

Answer 10

• as strange situation was created by an American based assumptions that the researcher has

Question 11

what is an example of imposed etic ?

Answer 11

• in germany a lack of separation anxiety and pleasure on reunion might be seen as independence and security by a German standards rather than insecurity by Americans
  (Grossmann and Grossmann 1990 )

Question 12

what problems does this portray ?

Answer 12

• infants aren’t being measured by the standards of their own cultures and so may be being incorrectly categorised
  –> hence leads to the strange situation lacking validity

Question 13

what is an alternative explanation for similarities ?

Answer 13

• universal similarities in how attachments form is because of an innate drive for survival –> B
• I + K suggest that at leats some similarity can be attributed to the effects of mass media –> e.g. books, TV , internet etc.

Question 14

how does this effect parenting ?

Answer 14

• spreads ideas about local parenting techniques across the globe and so children all over the world are potentially exposed to similar influences

Question 15

what could similarity be down to ?

Answer 15

• increasing global culture rather than down to innate biological influences