AO1 - Van Ijzendoorn

• Van IJzendoorn (1988) reviewed the data from 32 studies in their meta-analysis, where the Strange Situation method was used to investigate different attachment types.
• Van IJzendoorn (1988) found that type A attachments (insecure avoidant) were most likely to be seen in the studies from Germany (35%).
• Van IJzendoorn (1988) found that type B attachments (secure) were most likely to be seen in studies from Sweden and the UK both with 75% .
• Van IJzendoorn (1988) found that type C attachments (insecure resistant) were most likely to be seen in the studies from Israel (29%) and Japan (27%).
• Van IJzendoorn (1988) conducted a study to investigate attachment types across a range of countries in order to assess cultural variation. They also looked at differences within the same countries to get an idea of variations within a culture.
• In all countries secure attachment was the most common classification.
• Van IJzendoorn (1988) found that Western countries that support independence such as Germany had high levels of insecure avoidant.
• Whereas Eastern countries that are more culturally close, such as Japan, had higher levels of insecure resistant. The exception to the pattern was China which an equal number of avoidant and resistant infants.
• The study found that secure attachment was the most common (65%), followed by avoidant (21%) and resistant (14%).
• Van Ijzendoorn studied cultural variations in the UK, USA, Sweden, Japan, China, Holland, Germany & Israel.
• In Van Ijzendoorn's study average findings were consistent with Ainsworth’s original research.
• In individualistic cultures secure attachment was greater.