Cultural Variations in attachment

Question 1

What are the two key studies into cultural variations of attachment?

Answer 1

1. Van Izjendoorn and Kroonenberg - Meta-Analysis - 1988

2. Simonella et al. - ‘An Itallian Perspective’ -2014

Question 2

What was the aim of VI and Kroonenberg’s study?

Answer 2

To study proportions of attachment types between and within countries

Question 3

What was the procedure of VI and Kroonenberg’s study?

Answer 3

Researchers found the results of 32 SS studies across 8 different countries - meta-analysed the results

Question 4

What were the findings of VI and Kroonenberg’s study?

Answer 4

1. Secure attachment = most common in all culture
2. Collectivist cultures had increased insecure-resistant attachments compared to individualistic ones
3. Variations within countries > variations between

Question 5

What was the aim of Simonella et al.’s study?

Answer 5

To look at whether attachment type proportions in Italy had changed over time

Question 6

What was the procedure for Simonella et al.’s study?

Answer 6

Recruited mothers from a wider research project - varying levels of employment and education - 76 12 month olds were assessed using SS - compared the proportions to those of previous studies

Question 7

What were the findings of Simonella et al.’s study?

Answer 7

Lower rate of secure attachment - 50% - perhaps bc women work longer hours now and use day care

Question 8

What are the evaluation points for the studies into cultural variations of attachment?

Answer 8

1. Meta-analysis - large sample - reliable (+)
2. Samples from different countries aren’t necessarily from diff. cultures (-)
3. SS may be biased to Western/British culture child rearing techniques
4. SS is questionable - temperament may be a confounding variable