AO1 - Cultural Variations of Attachment

• Cultural variations - the differences between western (individualistic) and non-western (collectivist) cultures and why their attachments may differ
• Research into cultural variations was conducted by Van Ijzendoorn
• Aim: To investigate cross cultural variations in attachment
• Sample: 32 studies of the Strange Situation from 8 countries using around 2000 children
• Procedure: Meta-analysis of Strange Situation (controlled observation)
• Secure attachments were most common in:

  1. UK
  2. Sweden
• Secure attachments were least common in:

  1. China
  2. Germany
• Insecure-avoidant attachments were most common in:

  1. Germany
  2. Holland
• Insecure-avoidant attachments were least common in:

  1. Japan
  2. Israel
• Insecure-resistant attachments were most common in:

  1. Israel
  2. Japan
• Insecure-resistant attachments were least common in:

  1. UK
  2. Sweden
• Findings 1: The most common attachment type in all 8 countries was secure attachments
• Findings 2: Insecure-avoidant attachments were the most dominant insecure attachment type in western cultures, Insecure-resistant attachments were the most dominant insecure attachment type in non-western cultures
• Findings 3: there was one and a half times (150%) greater variation of attachment styles within cultures than between cultures
• Conclusion: There are cultural variations in attachment as insecure types were different, although there must be similarities due to secure attachment being most common in all cultures