conjugal roles - equal

Question 1

identify ways in which conjugal roles are now more equal

Answer 1

• money
• equal housework
• equal childcare

Question 2

pahl - pooling

Answer 2

• pooling system - where both see themselves as equally responsible for and jointly controlling money (having a joint bank account).
• pooling system is becoming more common

Question 3

vogler

Answer 3

found that pooling is increasing and housekeeping allowance is decreasing

a sample of 1,211 couples shows an increase from 19% to 50% now pooling

more common among couples working full time. although still men making major financial decisions

Question 4

leighton

Answer 4

unemployed men lose decision making power

Question 5

willmott & young

Answer 5

symmetrical family, march of progress

(remember that Oakley disagrees)

Question 6

willmott & young - identified 4 reasons for the symmetrical family:

Answer 6

• Increased employment opportunities for women made it more likely that women would become breadwinners alongside their husbands
• Increasing geographical mobility has tended to sever kinship ties with other family members strengthen bond between husband and wife.
• Reduction in children provided greater opportunities for wives to work
• With two earners, in dual earner families living standards rose and husband now found the home more attractive with better amenities and home entertainment.

Question 7

criticism of willmott and young - ann oakley

Answer 7

• Oakley (1974) provides a critical response to Willmott and Young’s idea of the ‘symmetrical family’
• She states that Willmott and Young’s research is not accurate, this is due to them exaggerating how much has changed
• Oakley states that only 15% of husbands have high levels of housework participation- yes this is a change but not to the extent mentioned my W & Y

Question 8

burghes

Answer 8

found fathers now take a more active role in parenting.

Question 9

gray

Answer 9

Fathers emphasised the need to have quality time with their children

Question 10

thompson

Answer 10

being the breadwinner was not the most important thing for fathers. Fathers are more concerned with being an intimate father.

Question 11

beck (conjugal roles)

Answer 11

fathers can no longer rely on their jobs to provide them with a sense of identity. They now look to their children to give them a sense of identity.

Question 12

kauftman

Answer 12

• study in the USA shows that men are now taking on the double burden and we now have the term ‘superdads’
• superdads - actively adjusted their work lives to fit in with their family lives – by changing careers, cutting back work hours or adopting more flexible working hours. These dads saw spending time with their children as the most important thing in their lives, with money and career as less important.

Question 13

family and work institute report (2008)

Answer 13

Men spend 3 hours per day on childcare and 2.3 hours on housework compared to in the 1977 when it was 1.8 hours on childcare and 1.2 on housework

Question 14

sue sharpe + girl guide study

Answer 14

girls’ and women’s aspirations have changed, they expect equality in relationship

Question 15

dunne

Answer 15

examined 37 cohabiting lesbian couples and found that lesbians are more likely to take turns in reducing hours in paid work to suit the demands of childcare.

Question 16

what social policies have helped men become more active parents?

Answer 16

• mandatory child support
• parental leave policies - allow both mothers and fathers to take time off work to care for their children