Division of labour

Question 1

Segregated conjugal roles?

Answer 1

Women and men have separate roles (expressive and instrumental) and have separate leisure activities.

Question 2

Joint conjugal roles?

Answer 2

Couples share housework, both do paid work, and spend leisure time together?

Question 3

Couples are becoming more equal

Answer 3

-Willmott and Young
-Sullivan
-British Social Attitudes
-Future Foundation

Question 4

Couples are not becoming more equal

Answer 4

-Oakley
-Dex and Ward
-Hochschild
-Southerton
-Parsons

Question 5

Willmott and Young A01

Answer 5

March of progress view (Improving one step at a time). Family is becoming more equal and democratic. Trend towards joint conjugal roles and symmetrical family, where the roles of husband and wife mirror each other.

Question 6

Symmetrical family?

Answer 6

Both partners do paid work, both do housework and childcare, leisure time is spent together

Question 7

Willmott and Young A03

Answer 7

Criticise with Oakley

Question 8

Sullivan A01

Answer 8

Found a trend towards greater equality as men did more domestic labour. Men now participate more in ‘women’s tasks’ eg cleaning and cooking rather than just doing ‘men’s tasks’ eg house repairs or mowing the lawn.

Question 9

Future Foundations A01

Answer 9

There is a generational shift. A study of 1000 adults found that 60% of men claimed to do more housework than their fathers and 75% of women claimed they do less housework than their mothers. This demonstrates emergence of the ‘new man’.