cultural variations of attachment

• Proximity seeking


  Seeking closeness to attachment figure
• Exploration and secure-base behaviours

  Exploring environment while maintaining contact with attachment figure
• Stranger anxiety


  Fear or distress in the presence of an unfamiliar person
• Separation anxiety


  Distress experienced when separated from attachment figure
• Responses to reunion


  Behaviours displayed when reunited with attachment figure after separation
• Cultural variations in attachment
• Attachment


  Monday, 7 February 2022
• Ainsworth's Strange Situation


  7 episodes
• Attachment


  Bond between child and caregiver
• Aims


  To look at the proportions of secure, insecure-avoidant and insecure-resistant attachments across a range of countries
• Procedures


  Researchers located 32 studies (1,990 children) using the Strange Situation, conducted in 8 countries (15 in USA), data subject to meta-analysis
• Findings


  Secure attachment most common but proportions varied (75% in Britain, 50% in China); insecure-resistant least common (3% in Britain, 30% in Israel); insecure-avoidant most in Germany, least in Japan; variations within countries greater than between countries
• Simonella et al. (2014) study in Italy

  50% secure, 36% insecure-avoidant, lower secure rate due to increased maternal employment and childcare use
• Jin et al. (2012) study in Korea

  Overall proportions similar to other countries, but more insecure-resistant, fewer insecure-avoidant, similar to Japan
• Secure attachment seems universal, but cultural practices influence attachment type
• Evidence for attachment being innate and universal

  Bowlby's idea that attachment is innate and produces similar behaviours across cultures
• How cultural practices influence attachment

  Mass media disseminating similar parenting ideas across countries; caregiving styles affected by factors like poverty, urban vs rural settings
• Interaction of nature and nurture influences attachment
• Strange Situation may measure anxiety rather than attachment
• Strange Situation designed for American culture, may not apply to other cultures (imposed etic)