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Is the Secure Base Phenomenon Evident Here, There, and Anywhere? A Cross‐Cultural Study of Child Behavior and Experts’ Definitions
Author(s) -
Posada German,
Lu Ting,
Trumbell Jill,
Kaloustian Garene,
Trudel Marcel,
Plata Sandra J.,
Peña Paola P.,
Perez Jennifer,
Tereno Susana,
Dugravier Romain,
Coppola Gabrielle,
Constantini Alessandro,
Cassibba Rosalinda,
KondoIkemura Kiyomi,
Nóblega Magaly,
Haya Ines M.,
Pedraglio Claudia,
Verissimo Manuela,
Santos Antonio J.,
Monteiro Ligia,
Lay KengLing
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.12084
Subject(s) - psychology , universality (dynamical systems) , naturalistic observation , developmental psychology , cross cultural , phenomenon , child development , social psychology , set (abstract data type) , sociology , computer science , physics , quantum mechanics , anthropology , programming language
The evolutionary rationale offered by Bowlby implies that secure base relationships are common in child–caregiver dyads and thus, child secure behavior observable across diverse social contexts and cultures. This study offers a test of the universality hypothesis. Trained observers in nine countries used the Attachment Q‐set to describe the organization of children's behavior in naturalistic settings. Children ( N = 547) were 10–72 months old. Child development experts ( N = 81) from all countries provided definitions of optimal child secure base use. Findings indicate that children from all countries use their mother as a secure base. Children's organization of secure base behavior was modestly related to each other both within and across countries. Experts’ descriptions of the optimally attached child were highly similar across cultures.