Families and Households: Gender roles Flashcards
Parsons (1955)
Argued that the ideal model of the family was one characterised by segregated conjugal roles, in which there was a clear division of labour between spouses.
Instrumental role (Parsons)
The main breadwinner role of the father or husband who provides food and shelter for the family.
Expressive role (Parsons)
The role of the wife which is geared towards primary socialisation of the children and meeting the family’s emotional needs. She is the homemaker, a full time housewife rather than a wage earner.
Young and Willmott (1973)
Took a ‘march of progress’ view of the history of the family based on their classic 1970s study. They saw family life as gradually improving for all its members, becoming more equal and democratic. They argued that there was a long term trend away from segregated conjugal roles and towards joint conjugal roles.
Segregated conjugal roles (Bott)
Husband and wife perform different tasks and have a number of separate interests and activities.
Joint conjugal roles (Bott)
Where the couple share tasks such as housework and childcare and spend their leisure time together.
The symmetrical family (Young and Willmott)
Relationship in which family roles are shared equally within the home. Couples share domestic work and leisure time equally.
Evidence for the existence of the symmetrical family:
More women are working (Sex Discrimination Act 1975), the occupational structure demonstrate that women are no longer confined to the home and are playing a more active role in providing for the families needs.
More men are involved in domestic work.
Delphy and Leonard (1992)
Found that women, even those in full-time employment still do the majority of the housework. They found that men did not take over the domestic chores as they saw it as an attack on their masculinity.
‘Principle of Stratified Diffusion’ theory
They argued that changes in norms and values tend to start among the wealthier in society and then others start to behave in the same way (the behaviour is “diffused” from one strata - class - to another). -» Willmott and Young.
Anthony Giddens
Argues that in recent decades the family and marriage have become more egalitarian.
Evidence for symmetrical family put forward by Giddens:
Contraception has allowed sex and intimacy rather than reproduction to become the main reason for the relationship’s existence.
Women have gained independence because of greater opportunities in education and work.
Beck
Traditional patriarchal family has been undermined by two trends:
Greater gender equality
Greater individualisation
Greater gender equality (Beck)
This has challenged male domination in all spheres of life. Women now expect equality both at work and in marriage.
Greater Individualisation (Beck)
Where people’s actions are influenced more by calculations of their own self-interest than by a sense of obligation to others.
