The main accusation aimed at both Bowlby's and Ainsworth's studies are that they are based on a narrow section of society and focus only on the mother as the main care giver. Western society has changed dramatically since these studies were carried out, and some argue that they are outdated. As Goldberg writes ‘an increasing number of children are reared in households with one parent, two partners of the same gender, multigenerational families, or households that include a non-familiar resident' (p.97). Our society is now built from many cultures, each having their own traditions and familial organisation. What is clear from all studies of attachment is that it is not who is doing the caring, but the ‘amount, quality and consistency of care' that is important (Goldberg, p.106).
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