Cultural variations in attachment
Studies of cultural variations
Van IJzenoorn and Kroonenberg’s research (1988)
- Conducted a study to look at proportions of secure, insecure-avoidant and insecure-resistant
attachments across countries to assess cultural variation
- Also, looked at differences within same countries to get idea of variations within a culture
Procedure
- 32 studies of attachment in 8 countries (15 where in US)
- 32 studies were meta-analysed – results of all studies combined and analysed together,
weighting each study for its sample size
- Strange Situation used to investigate proportions of babies with different attachment types
- Studies yielded results for 1,990 children
Findings
- In all countries, secure-attachment was most common classification – but proportion varied
from 75% in Britain to 50% in China
- In individualist cultures rates of insecure-resistant attachment were all under 14% (similar to
Ainsworth’s original sample)
- In collectivist cultures (China, Japan and Isreal) rates were above 25% (and rates of insecure-
avoidant was reduced)
- Variations between results of studies within same country were actually 150% greater than
those between countries – eg in US study found only 46% securely attached compared to
one sample as high as 90%
Strength
- Meta-analysis used so large sample
- Almost 2000 babies and their PAF
- Large samples reduces effects of possible anomalous results
- Increases internal validity of findings
Limitation
- Claimed to look at cultural variations
- But comparisons were made between countries, not cultures
- Within one country eg UK there are many different cultures based on religions and
ethnicities which result in different child rearing practices
- Van IJ and Sagi (2001) found differences in attachment styles in Japan depending on whether
the children being studies were from rural or urban settings
- This means that making comparisons between countries is pretty meaningless unless the
specific cultural characteristics are specified
Other studies of cultural variations
Simonelli et al (2014) – Italian study
- Study to see whether proportions of babies of different attachment types still matches those
found in previous studies
Procedure
- Assessed 76 babies aged 12 months using SS
Studies of cultural variations
Van IJzenoorn and Kroonenberg’s research (1988)
- Conducted a study to look at proportions of secure, insecure-avoidant and insecure-resistant
attachments across countries to assess cultural variation
- Also, looked at differences within same countries to get idea of variations within a culture
Procedure
- 32 studies of attachment in 8 countries (15 where in US)
- 32 studies were meta-analysed – results of all studies combined and analysed together,
weighting each study for its sample size
- Strange Situation used to investigate proportions of babies with different attachment types
- Studies yielded results for 1,990 children
Findings
- In all countries, secure-attachment was most common classification – but proportion varied
from 75% in Britain to 50% in China
- In individualist cultures rates of insecure-resistant attachment were all under 14% (similar to
Ainsworth’s original sample)
- In collectivist cultures (China, Japan and Isreal) rates were above 25% (and rates of insecure-
avoidant was reduced)
- Variations between results of studies within same country were actually 150% greater than
those between countries – eg in US study found only 46% securely attached compared to
one sample as high as 90%
Strength
- Meta-analysis used so large sample
- Almost 2000 babies and their PAF
- Large samples reduces effects of possible anomalous results
- Increases internal validity of findings
Limitation
- Claimed to look at cultural variations
- But comparisons were made between countries, not cultures
- Within one country eg UK there are many different cultures based on religions and
ethnicities which result in different child rearing practices
- Van IJ and Sagi (2001) found differences in attachment styles in Japan depending on whether
the children being studies were from rural or urban settings
- This means that making comparisons between countries is pretty meaningless unless the
specific cultural characteristics are specified
Other studies of cultural variations
Simonelli et al (2014) – Italian study
- Study to see whether proportions of babies of different attachment types still matches those
found in previous studies
Procedure
- Assessed 76 babies aged 12 months using SS
