Cross-cultural Variation

1
Cross-cultural Variation
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• Child rearing practices vary considerably from
  place to place
• Environment
• Traditions
• Beliefs about children
• Does this result in different attachment
  patterns?
• Universal vs. culturally specific

2
Cross-cultural Research
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• Van Ijzendoorn Kroonenberg (1988)
• Meta analysis of studies of attachment in
  different countries
• Looked at proportions of different SSC attachment
  types
• Secure attachment always the most common, but
  significant variation

3
Cross-cultural Research
www.psychlotron.org.uk
Secure Avoidant Resistant
USA 65 21 14 Regular close contact
Germany 57 35 8 Independence is valued
Israel 64 7 29 Communal care in kibbutz
Japan 68 5 27 Mother child rarely separated
4
Cross-cultural Research
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• Many studies have limited samples
• Cannot claim to be representative of each culture
• E.g. in Israel kibbutz vs. urban
• Probably more variation within cultures than
  between them

5
Cross-cultural Research
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• Reliable findings
• Grossman Grossman (1991) - high proportion of
  avoidant children in Germany
• Takahashi (1990) - 32 of children resistant
  none avoidant
• From US/UK point of view such findings might seem
  alarming

6
Cross-cultural Research
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• Important not to judge other cultures from our
  own perspective
• Japan children rarely separated from mother
  find SSC very stressful
• Avoidant behaviour very rude actively
  discouraged
• Germany greater personal distance is the norm
  proximity seeking not encouraged

7
Cross-cultural Variation
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• Findings suggest attachment has some universal
  features
• There is variation both between and within
  cultures
• SSC may not be best tool for cross-cultural
  research as it assumes behaviour always has same
  significance as in US/UK