Studies of cultural variations

Question 1

IJzendoorn and Kroonenberg procedure

Answer 1

• Located 32 studies of attachment where the ‘Strange Situation’ had been used to investigate the proportions of babies with different attachment types
• Conducted in 8 countries
• Data meta-analysed

Question 2

Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s findings

Answer 2

• In all countries, secure attachment was the most common classification
• In individualist cultures rates of insecure resistant attachment were similar to Ainsworth’s orginal sample
• Varaitions between results of studies within the same country were actually 150% greater than those between countries

Question 3

Korean study procedure

Answer 3

• Strange situation used to assess 87 babies

Question 4

Korean study findings

Answer 4

• Overall proportions of insecure and secure babies were similar to those in most countires
• Most who were insecure were insecure-resistant -> only 1 baby avoidant

Question 5

Conclusion

Answer 5

Secure attachment norm in wide range of cultures supporting Bowlby’s idea that attachment is innate and universal

Question 6

Strengths

Answer 6

• Most conducted by indigenous psychologists (from same culture)
• T/f able to communicate and understand so high validity

Question 7

Limitations

Answer 7

• Impact of confounding variables
• e.g. sample characteristics like poverty, social class, urban/rural make-up can confound results
• Environmental variables - size of room when testing (change proximity seeking) , availability of interesting toys