Cultural Variations in Attachment: Key Studies and Findings
Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg's Meta-Analysis
Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988) conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to examine cultural variations in attachment. Their study analyzed 32 studies using the Strange Situation procedure across 8 countries, involving 1,990 children.
Highlight: The meta-analysis revealed that secure attachment was the most common type in all countries studied, while insecure-resistant attachment was the least common overall.
A significant finding was that variations in attachment types were 150% greater within countries than across different countries. This suggests that while cultural differences exist, there is also considerable variation within individual cultures.
Example: The Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg study provides a robust example of cultural variation in attachment, demonstrating both similarities and differences across cultures.
Other Studies of Cultural Variations
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Italian Study by Simonella et al. (2014):
This research found a lower rate of secure attachment compared to many other studies. The researchers attributed this to longer working hours for women and increased use of childcare in Italy.
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Korean Study by Jin et al. (2012):
This study discovered similar rates of secure and insecure attachments overall, but with higher rates of insecure-resistant attachment and only one case of insecure-avoidant attachment.
Vocabulary: Insecure-resistant attachment refers to a pattern where children show distress upon separation from caregivers but are difficult to comfort upon reunion.
These studies contribute to our understanding of how cultural variations in attachment manifest in different societies.
