Cultural Variations

Cultural Variations

1. 2 Types of Cultures

   • Individualistic Culture: Personal independence - Western Cultures
   • Collectivist Culture: Interdependence between people - Non-Western Cultures

2. Research Evidence: Van Ljzendoorn & Kroonenberg

   • Studied patterns in attachment types between & within cultures
   • META ANALYSIS! Reviewed 32 worldwide studies: 8 countries and 2,000 kids, compared studies looking for general trends
   • Findings: Most common attachment type between all 8 countries = secure
     • Western cultures (Individualistic) = Insecure Avoidant non-western cultures (Collectivists) = Insecure Avoidant
     • 1&1/2 X greater variation within cultures than between cultures = attachement types differ more within a country, meaning it's parenting styles, not the culture that influences attachment types.