Cultural Variations

Cultural Variations

1. Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg 88

   • Aim: Investigated attachment in other countries
   • Method: They conducted a meta analysis of 32 studies in 8 countries using the strange situation
   • Results: The results were that secure attachment was the most common category in every country studied. Although proportions varied between resistant and avoidant attachment
   • Conclusion: They concluded that Bowlby was correct and attachment behaviour was inherited rather than learned and that secure attachment was the 'norm'

2. Takahashi 90

   • Aim: With the aim of looking at attachment in Japan
   • Method: 60 middle class Japanese mother/infants were investigated using the strange situation
   • Results: Secure attachment was the most common at 68% however of the others all 32% were classed as resistant and none as avoidant. Also 90% of trials had to have the mother return early as the infant was so distressed
   • Conclusion: The researchers concluded that the results were affected by the fact that in Japanese culture it is very unusual for the mother & child to be separated before the age of 2. The strange situation should be adjusted for use in other countries

3. Grossman & Grossman 91

   • Aim: To look at attachment in Germany
   • Method: They investigated German mother/infants using the strange situation
   • Results: They found secure attachment was the most common but of the others avoidant attachment was the most common by far
   • Conclusion: The results researchers concluded that the results were affected by the fact that German culture does not encourage children to make a fuss and so the strange situation would need to be adjusted before it could be used in other countries

4. Evaluations

   • They use small and unrepresentitive samples. For example, the Takahashi study was carried out on a sample of 60 infants from a RURAL area
     • Van Ijzendoorn found that a more URBAN sample showed similar distribution of attachment types to the US & UK. Possibly because they were more used to being separated. Sub-culture could be more important than culture
   • Critics argue that the results may NOT support Bowlbys theory (Van Ijzendoorn) suggests that the similar proportions of securely attached behaviour seen in different countries may be caused by a globalized culture caused by shared media and not an underlying instinct
   • Many of the studies were carried out by researchers that are not part of the cultures they were studying. This could have led to misunderstandings in interpreting verbal or non-verbal cues and so misinterpretation of the results. Communities are best understood by people close to them