Attachment: Cultural variations in attachment

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  • Cultural variations in attachment
    • Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg's research (1988)
      • Aimed to investigate cultural differences in the proportions of each attachment type both between and within cultures.
      • Found 32 studies of attachment that used Strange Situations, with 1990 children used across these. These studies came from:
        • Great Britian
          • Secure - 75%, Avoidant - 22% and Resistant - 3%
        • Japan
          • Secure - 69%, Avoidant - 6% and Resistant - 24%
        • Netherlands
          • Secure - 67%, Avoidant - 25% and Resistant - 7%
        • USA
          • However, these made up 15 of the studies - not an equal spread.
          • Secure - 65%, Avoidant - 20% and Resistant - 15%
        • Israel
          • Secure - 65%, Avoidant - 6% and Resistant - 29%
        • Germany
          • Secure - 57%, Avoidant - 34% and Resistant - 9%
        • China
          • Secure - 50%, Avoidant - 24% and Resistant - 26%
      • Carried out a meta-analysis of the data from the 32 studies (i.e. combined and analysed all the findings, weighting each study for its sample size).
      • Findings
        • In all countries secure attachment was most common but it varied (China - 50% and Great Britian - 75%)
        • In individualistic countries (Britian, Sweden, Netherlands, USA and Germany) rates of insecure-resistant were under 15% - similar to Ainsworth's findings
        • In collectivist countries (Japan, Isreal and China) rates of insecure-resistant were high at 25% or above
      • Conclusion
        • Secure attachment is the norm in a wide range of cultures, which supports Bowlby's idea that attachment is innate and universal and that secure attachment is the norm.
        • However, this research also shows that cultural practices have an influence on attachment type.
    • Evaluation
      • A large number of these studies are conducted by indigenous psychologists
      • Researchers are trying to use a study methodology developed in one cultural context and applied to another cultural context.

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