Cultural variations in attachment

Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg:

Meta-analysis of ‘Strange Situation’ studies. Secure highest in all countries, but collectivist cultures (China, Japan and Israel) had high resistant. Found variation between cultures was 150% greater then between countries. E.g. in the US secure was 90%-46%

Secure - ↑ UK, ↓China

Avoidant - ↑ Germany, ↓ Japan

Resistant - ↑ Israel, ↓ UK

Simonelli:

Italian babies, ‘Strange Situation.’ 50% secure, 36% avoidant. Suggests mothers work long hours and use professional childcare.

Jin:

Korean babies, ‘Strange Situation.’ Proportions of attachment similar to Japan because of similar child-rearing. Mostly resistant babies, one avoidant

Large sample sizes

In Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s meta analysis there was over 2000 babies in the study. This increases internal validity and makes it more generalisable

Imposed etic

Applied the ‘Strange Situation,’ a Western experiment, to other cultures. Some cultures are more independent

‘Strange Situation’ low validity

Done in a lab, not very applicable. Measures anxiety more than attachment types.

ALSO, Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg GIGO meta-analysis