Cultural Variations in Attachment

• Van Ljzendoorn, procedure


  - conducted a large scale meta-analysis of 2000 infants in. 32 studies from 8 countries; each study classified the attachment types of infants and mothers using 'strange situation
• Van Ljzendoorn, findings


  - general patterns: secure attachment most common in all countries, insecure resistant least common type; avoidant more common in individualistic Western cultures and resistant in collectivist non-Western

  - individual findings: Germany had most insecure-avoidant (35%), Japan had most insecure-resistant (27%), China has least secure infants (50%)
• Van Ljzendoorn's research suggests,


  - secure attachment most common in all countries, suggests there is a globally preferred attachment style

  however, there are variations that parenting styles could explain

  - Germany: encourage independent/non-clingy behaviour (avoidant)

  - Japan: spend significant time with their infants, explaining extreme 'resistant' reactions to separation
• A03, lack temporal validity

  - Ainsworth and Van Ljzendoorn findings may lack temporal validity due to the changing nature of family life in the modern world

  - more mothers are going into the workforce, may be more likely for infants to be avoidant as they are adjusting to a frequently absent mother
• A03, evidence for Bowlby's theory

  - dominant attachment style was 'secure' for all countries studied

  - may be evidence for Bowlby's theory that there is a biological, instinctive drive to parent in a way that provides secure attachment