A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

What is a weakness of Ainsworth and Bell's study?

1. Low standardisation

2. Ethnocentric bias

3. High reliability

4. Good ecological validity

The correct answer is: Ethnocentric bias

The correct choice regarding a weakness of Ainsworth and Bell's study is ethnocentric bias. Ainsworth and Bell conducted their research within a specific cultural context, primarily reflecting Western values and parenting styles, which may not universally apply to other cultures. This ethnocentric perspective can lead to misinterpretations of attachment behaviors observed in different cultural settings, potentially overlooking the variation in child-rearing practices and the meanings attached to them in non-Western societies. In contrast, low standardisation is not a primary concern in the context of their study, as the Strange Situation has a well-defined procedure that is consistently applied. High reliability indicates that the measures used in the study produce consistent results across different contexts and observers, which is generally seen as a strength rather than a weakness. Lastly, good ecological validity suggests that the findings are generalizable to real-world settings, which can be considered an advantage rather than a drawback of the study. Thus, the emphasis on ethnocentric bias highlights a significant limitation of Ainsworth and Bell's research in the understanding of attachment theory across diverse cultural backgrounds.