Cultural Variations in Attachment

• Researchers: Cultural Variation

  Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988)
• How did Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg analyse data

  • They conducted a meta-analysis of data from various studies that used the Strange Situation procedure to assess attachment patterns in infants
  • The studies included samples from different cultures and countries worldwide
• Findings: Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg

  • They found that variation within cultures was 1.5x greater than variation between cultures.
  • These results led them to conclude that secure attachment is the norm and that this type of attachment is the best for healthy development
• How much data did Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg analyse?

  • 32 studies
  • 8 different countries
  • 2000 infant participants
• Aim: Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988)

  aimed to investigate if attachment styles (secure and insecure) are universal across cultures, or culturally specific (vary considerably from place to place, due to traditions, the social environment, or beliefs about children)
• Findings: Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988)

  • Non-western collectivist countries like Japan (27%) & Israel (29%) revealed a higher incidence of resistant than avoidant children
  • whereas individualistic western countries like Germany (35%) had a higher incidence of avoidant than resistant
  • Chinese findings revealed the lowest rate of secure attachments (50%) with the remaining children falling into the other categories equally
  • Britain had the highest rate of secure attachments (75%).