A03 Cultural Variations In Attachment

• Large samples


  When combining results of attachment studies in different countries, there is a large sample. E.g. Ijzendoorn meta-analysis of 2000 babies and primary attachment figures. Studies like Simonella/Jin et al had large comparison groups from previous research
• Sample size affect on validity

  Overall, sample size increases internal validity reducing anomalous results caused by bad methodology or very unusual ppts
• Samples tend to be unrepresentative of culture


  Meta-analysis of Ijzendoorn and Kroonenburg claimed to study cultural variations but instead measured compared countries not cultures; one sample could live in poverty for example
• Different areas in Tokyo

  Analysis by Ijzendoorn and Sagi where distributions of attachment type in Urban Tokyo were similar to Western studies but a more rural sample had over-representation of insecure-resistant patients
• Comparison between countries

  Comparison between countries has little meaning and particular cultural characteristics of sample need to be specified
• Method of assessment is biased

  Cross cultural psychology with ideas of etic (cultural universals) and emic (cultural uniqueness)
• Strange situation creation

  Strange situation developed by Ainsworth based on a British theory (Bowlby's). Question whether Anglo-American theories/assessments can be applied to other countries/cultures
• Imposed etic


  Trying to apply a theory/technique designed for one culture
• Separation anxiety and lack of pleasure at reunion stage in Germany


  For example, a lack of separation anxiety and pleasure on reunion is insecure attachment in the strange situation. In Germany this may be seen as independence rather than avoidance and so not a sign of insecurity in that culture
• Alternative explanation for cultural similarity

  Bowlby's explanation is that cultural similarities exist because attachment is innate/universal and therefore, Ijzendoorn proposed an alternative explanation
• Ijzendoorn's alternative explanation


  Suggested that small cultural differences may reflect effects of mass media- large number of books and television programmes 'that advocate similar notions of parenting are disseminated across countries
• The strange situation lacks validity

  Strange situation might not be measuring attachment at all. Kagan states attachment type more relates to temperament than to relationships with primary attachment figure. In this case, the strange situation isn't measuring/assessing attachment but measuring anxiety