CULTURAL VARIATIONS – Van Ijzendoom
CULTURAL VARIATIONS – Van Ijzendoom
STUDY SYUMMARY
Aim: – to assess whether within separate sample types, there was a pattern in the
distribution of different attachment types
– to assess the extent of inter (between) and intra (within) cultural differences in
attachment types in the separate samples
– to assess the similarities and differences in the amount of Type A, B, and C
attachment types in the separate samples
Method: – a meta analysis o f 32 studies from 8 countries that used the ‘Strange Situation’
procedure to assess mother-child attachments
– classified attachments as either: Type A, B, or C
– 1,990 separate strange situation classifications were used
– all studies used 35 mother-infant pairs with infants below the age of 2
Results: – Type A = 21%, Type B = 67%, Type C = 12%
– a larger proportion of Type A attachment was found in German samples
– intra cultural differences were often greater than inter cultural differences (e.g
94% of Type A attachment)
– Type A attachment was found more in western cultures
– Type C attachment was more common in countries like Israel, China and Japan
Conclusion: – there is a different in the pattern of cross cultural attachment types across
countries
– intra cultural differences in attachment types are often greater than inter
cultural ones
– overall, patterns of attachment types were similar to what Ainsworth had
found in his study
Evaluation:
| STRENGTHS | WEAKNESSES |
| –generalisable to the 8 countries used on the study | –not generalisable – cannot be generalised to other countries (ethnocentric). Father attachment also not looked at. |
| –reliable – meta analysis consisting of 32 studies. Lab setting – allows for causality and the study was replicated in different cultures | –cultural differences shown, however not applicable to all attachments |
| –high validity –measures what it is supposed to | –temporal validity – child rearing may differ over time, individual differences |
| –lacks ecological validity – used the ‘Strange Situation’ procedure, which lacks mundane realism | |
| -unethical – babies were left distressed |
EXAM QUESTIONS
Q1) Outline and evaluate research into cultural variations in attachment (16 marks)
Q2) Describe what research has shown about cultural variations in attachment (4 marks)
Q3) Explain the difference between ‘intra cultural differences’ and ‘inter cultural differences’ (2 marks)
