Couples - 2.2 Flashcards
Conjugal Roles Key Sociologists
> Parsons (Functionalist) - Segregated Roles
> Bott (Segregated Roles and Joint Conjugal Roles)
Functionalist View on Conjugal Roles (Parsons)
- Men and Women have diff roles based on biological differences
- Women naturally suited to nurturing, Men suited to providing.
- Thus it’s functional and benefits everyone
What are the Key Roles Parsons identifies?
- Men’s Role - Breadwinner/Instrumental
- Female’s Role - Expressive/Caregiving
(Clear Division of Labour)
Which other perspective agrees with Functionalists on their view of Conjugal Roles and why?
> NR Supports Functionalist view as best way of organising family life.
A03 Functionalist Conjugal Roles Sociologists
> Young & Wilmott (SF)
> Feminist Views (Socially Constructed)
How do Young & Wilmott criticise the Functionalist view on Conjugal Roles?
Men and women now have = roles
How do Feminists criticise the Functionalist view on Conjugal Roles?
Gender Roles are socially constructed not natural
Explain Bott’s 2 Conjugal Roles?
> Segregated Conjugal Roles:
- Couples have separate roles e.g. male breadwinner & female homemaker/carer, spending leisure time separately.
> Joint Conjugal Roles:
- Where couples share tasks e..g housework and childcare, spending leisure time together.
Division of Labour Key Sociologists
> Young & Wilmott (SF)
> Sullivan (MOPV)
> Feminist (Rejection of MOPV)
> Oakley (Exaggeration of Men’s Contribution)
> BSA (Inequality in Dom Work)
> Hochschild (Inequality in DEF)
> Bell (Unemployed Men)
> Morley (Gender Diff on Views on the Home)
> Dunscombe & Marsden (Dual Burden)
Define the Symmetrical Family
> Equally balanced and flexible, partners share both instrumental and expressive roles.
> Couples spend leisure time together, men more home-centred and family’s more privatised.
Explain Young and Wilmott’s MOPV?
> Families less patriarchal and more equal & democratic between both men and women.
> Women also go to work now full time
> Men also now help with Housework and Childcare
Briefly Outline What Factors have led to the Symmetrical Family?
> Weakening Gender Identities
Improved Living Standards
Commercialization of Dom Labour
Economically Active Women
Explain how Weakening Gender Identities led to the Symmetrical Family
- Less pressure to conform to traditional roles, men encouraged to view women as =
Explain how Improved Living Standards led to the Symmetrical Family
New Tech e.g. washing machines and dishwashers, means that certain jobs are now easier to do, easing burden of labour but may only be available to MC.
Explain how Commercialization of Dom Labour led to the Symmetrical Family
- As families’s more dual earning, there’s been growth in Dom Labour industry
- More families pay for certain tasks to be completed e.g. hiring maids.
Explain how Economically Active Women led to the Symmetrical Family
- Girls going work more, so men need to help around the house so chores can be done.
Explain Sullivan’s MOPV?
- Women do less dom work & Men do more traditional women’s tasks & couples have = DOL.
What is the Feminist View on the MOPV?
- Reject MOPV, see family as patriarchal, women still do most housework.
- Women working not led to greater equality, they now have dual burden and triple shift.
Outline Oakley’s view on Inequalities in Housework undermining MOPV?
- No evidence of symmetry in Dom Labour.
- Young & Wilmott exaggerate mens contribution, although they did help, this was merely seen as ironing a shirt 1x a week, nothing major.
Outline BSA view on Inequalities in Housework undermining MOPV?
- Women do 2x as much work & couples still divide tasks based on TDDOL.
Outline Hochschild view on Inequalities in Housework undermining MOPV?
Even in DEF, women still had main responsibility for Dom Tasks.