Evaluating cultural variations in attachment

Evaluating cultural variations in attachment

1. Cultural Bias

   • The sensitive hypothesis
     • Bowlby and Ainsworth say that secure attachment was related to caregiver responsiveness and sensitivity.
       • Rothbaum argues that this reflects the western ideas of how infants should be raised, whereas in Japan sensitivity is promoting dependence rather than independence.
   • The Continuity hypothesis
     • Bowlby and Ainsworth say that infants who are securely attached develop into more socially and emotionally competent children and adults. This competence is defined by individuation (being able to explore, be independent and control emotions).
       • Rothbaum found that in Japan however, competence is represented by not showing feelings and being group-orientated rather than self-orientated
   • The secure base hypothesis
     • In the west, secure attachments are seen as providing an infant with a secure base from which to explore, thus promoting independance.
       • In Japan attachment relationships are dependence orientated, keeping with the Japanese tradition of love. Behaviours associated with insecure ambivalent attachment are more typical of the characteristic Japanese love relationship which may explain why such classifications are higher in Japan (Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg)

2. Indigenous theories of attachment