Cultural variations in attachment Flashcards
Who conducted the study of cultural variations in attachment?
Van Ijzendoorn
What was the aim of cultural variations in attachment?
To investigate the reported rates of different infant attachment types in a range of cultures.
What was the procedure of the study into cultural variations of attachment?
Meta-analysis. 8 countries were studied and 32 studies were analysed. Nearly 2000 ss classifications were analysed.
Results of secure attachment from the cultural variations study?
All were quite high - highest was GB (75%) and Sweden (74%). Lowest was China (50%).
What were the results of the avoidant attachment from the cultural variations study?
Highest was West Germany - 35%
Lowest was japan - 5% - and Israel - 7%
What were the results of the resistant attachment from the cultural variations study?
Highest was Israel - 29% - and Japan - 27%
Lowest was GB - 3% - and Sweden - 4%
What was the conclusion of the research into cultural variations of attachment?
Consistency in secure attachment types shows there may be more innate characteristics that underpin infant - caregiver interactions.
Secure attachment is universal.
Variations in insecure attachment could be due to environmental factors.
Does the research into cultural variations of attachment support universal law?
Ijzendoorn found secure attachment type to be the most common which suggests that Bowlby’s monotropic theory is correct.
Is the research into cultural variations of attachment reliable?
Standardised procedures - strange situation episodes. Comparisons can be made across cultures.
Does the research into cultural variations of attachment lack validity?
Culturally biased. 18/32 studies were Western but only 1/32 in China.
Is the research into cultural variations of attachment generalisable?
China only had 25 infants in one study.
Also differences within cultures - urban city sample of Israel more western that Kibbutzim sample.
