Family: Gender Roles

Question 1

What is the parsons view of roles in the family (functionalism)

Answer 1

Gender roles in the family are biologically determined: men take on the instrumental role as breadwinners and providers, while women take on the expressive role as caregivers and nurturers. These roles are seen as complementary and essential for family stability and the functioning of society. The family acts as a ‘warm bath’

Question 2

What perspective does Elizabeth Bott (1957) take on gender roles within the family

Answer 2

March of progress view.
There has been a gradual shift towards equality

Question 3

Elizabeth Bott (1957) -Conjugal roles

Answer 3

-There has been a gradual shift from segregated conjugal roles, where men and women have distinct responsibilities, that are biologically determined (men as breadwinners, women doing housework and childcare),to joint conjugal roles, where duties are shared more equally. She found that joint roles were more common in middle-class, mobile families with loose-knit networks, while segregated roles were typical in working-class families with close-knit networks.

• This supports the March of Progress view, suggesting that family life is becoming more equal as gender roles become less traditional.

Question 4

What are segregated conjugal roles

Answer 4

-When partners in a relationship have clearly separate and distinct roles — the man usually works, acting as he breadwinner and the woman looks after the home and children, acting as the nurturer.

-They also tend to have separate leisure activities, with the man socialising outside of the family (e.g working men’s clubs) and women socialising with extended family.

Question 5

What are joint conjugal roles

Answer 5

-When partners share tasks and responsibilities more equally — both may work, do housework, and look after the children.

-They also tend to spend their leisure time together. This reflects a more equal and cooperative relationship.

Question 6

Traditionally, where did men and women use to socialise

Answer 6

Men-Outside of the family home, ugh as in working men’s clubs

Women- WTH extended family within the home

Question 7

Who proposed the symmetrical family

Answer 7

Willmott and Young (1973)

Question 8

How has the family roles become much more equal according to Willmott and Young (1973)

Answer 8

-Family life has gradually become more equal and democratic, moving away from traditional gender divisions. They described the rise of the ‘symmetrical family’, where roles of men and women are not identical but are much more alike. In these families, domestic responsibilities are increasingly shared, leisure time is spent together, and both partners are often in paid work. For example, in the past, men typically socialised outside the home (e.g. working men’s clubs), while women engaged with in-laws, but this has shifted. These changes were driven by factors such as improvements in women’s status, geographical mobility, advances in technology, and better living standards. During the 1980s, the idea of the ‘new man’ emerged—someone more involved in domestic life. Willmott and Young found that this trend began in the middle class, where higher education and the feminisation of the economy played a role, and later spread to the working class through a process called stratified diffusion.

Question 9

What do Willmott and Young (973) mean by the ‘symmetrical family’

Answer 9

-They described the rise of the symmetrical family, where roles of men and women are not identical but are much more alike. In these families, domestic responsibilities are increasingly shared, leisure time is spent together, and both partners are often in paid work.

Question 10

According to Willmott and Young (1973), what was the shift to a more ‘symmetrical family’ driven by

Answer 10

These changes were driven by factors such as improvements in women’s status, geographical mobility, advances in technology, and better living standards.
Also the emergence of the ‘new man’ in the 1980s.

Question 11

What do Willmott and Young mean by the ‘new man’

Answer 11

A husband that is much more physically and emotionally involved in domestic, typically emerging in the 1980s

Question 12

What types of families are joint conjugal roles more common in

Answer 12

hose with more lose knit networks, typically more MC and geographically mobile families

Question 13

What types of families are segregated conjugal roles more common in

Answer 13

-Typically more common in close knit networks, often WC families

Question 14

What did Willmott and Young (1973) mean by ‘stratified diffusion’

Answer 14

The process by which the way of life of the MC gradually diffused down into that of the WC , resulting in an increase in the ‘symmetrical family’

Question 15

Evidence for MOP view of gender role in the family- Globalisation

Answer 15

-High net migration has resulted in an increase in availability of migrant workers.E.G cleaners, babysitters.

-Globalisation has contributed to the spread of more egalitarian family norms, as cultures interact and exchange ideas, with women gaining more access to education and employment opportunities.

Question 16

Evidence for the MOP view of gender roles- commercialisation of labour/ labour saving devices

Answer 16

-The rise of commercial services and labor-saving devices reduces the time spent on domestic tasks, promoting equality in household responsibilities by allowing both men and women more time for work and leisure outside the home.

• E.G rise in employment of domestic labour (1 in 10 households), microwave meals, washing machine etc.

Question 17

Evidence for the MOP view of gender roles- weakening gender identities

Answer 17

-As traditional gender roles weaken, sexual identities also become more fluid, with individuals free to explore and express their sexuality in ways that feel authentic to them.

-This supports the idea that family roles and relationships are more negotiable and based on personal choice, as seen in Beck’s “negotiated family” where family roles are flexible and negotiated between partners based on equality, and Giddens’ “pure relationships”which emphasize relationships formed on mutual satisfaction and emotional closeness, rather than traditional gender norms

Question 18

Evidence for MOP view of gender roles- changing position of women

Answer 18

-Since the 1980s, women’s position has changed significantly due to increased educational opportunities, the feminization of the economy (with more dual-income households), and legal changes like the Equal Pay Act and Divorce Reform Act. The availability of contraception gave women greater control over reproduction, allowing for more workforce participation and autonomy.

-These changes have resulted in greater gender equality, with women achieving more economic independence, greater influence in decision-making, and increased freedom to negotiate family roles and relationships.

Question 19

Evidence for the MOP view- changing position of men

Answer 19

-Crisis of masculinity- questioning and insecurity surrounding male identities due to the decline in traditional male-dominated jobs, such as manufacturing and manual labour.

-This has led to more men entering traditionally feminized jobs, like nursing and teaching, as gender roles become more flexible. The shift reflects changing expectations, with men moving away from traditional masculine roles and embracing a wider range of occupations and responsibilities.

Question 20

Gershuny (1994)- further research

Answer 20

Couples where women worked full time were more likely to share domestic responsibilities

Question 21

Dunne (1999) further research

Answer 21

lesbian couples more likely to share more domestic responsibilities (criticism of W+Y- same sex couples created more democratic relationships not MC)- Supported by Giddens ‘same sec couples as pioneers’.

Question 22

According to Oakley (1974) why has the ‘symmetrical family’ been exaggerated

Answer 22

Willmott and Young’s ‘symmetrical family’ is exaggerated and misleading.

-In her own research on housewives, Oakley found limited evidence of husbands helping in the home, but no real trend toward symmetry. Only 15% of husbands had a high level of participation in housework, and 25% in childcare. Even in childcare, men tended to engage in the more enjoyable aspects(E.G playing), while women remained largely responsible for their day-to-day welfare and security(E.G bathing etc).

-While women are now more equal in the sense that they have access to paid work, they are now taking on a dual burden of unpaid domestic labour and paid work

Question 23

What is the Dual Burden

Answer 23

According to Oakley, women take on a dual burden of both paid work ad unpaid domestic labour

Question 24

What is the triple shift

Answer 24

Duncombe and Marsden added to Oakley dual burden, arguing that women also take on the emotional work of the family as well as paid and unpaid work. This is the triple shift

Question 25

According to teh University College of London 2011, how many couples shared housework equally

Answer 25

In 2011, the University College London- only 7% of couples shared housework equally.

Question 26

On average, how many hours of housework do women do a week compared to men

Answer 26

Women did an average of 16 hours of housework a week compared to 6hours for men.

Question 27

Hetherington (1993)- Housework

Answer 27

Sex typing of domestic tasks still continue. Wives are 30X more likely to have done the washing last. Husbands were 4X more likely to be the last person to wash the car.

Question 28

Boulton (1983)- Childcare

Answer 28

-Criticises claims of increasing symmetry in family roles, particularly around childcare. Her research found that fewer than 20% of husbands had a major role in childcare. Although it may appear that men are more involved, this involvement is often limited to the more enjoyable aspects of childcare, such as playing or outings. -In contrast, mothers remain responsible for the child’s overall wellbeing and security. Boulton refers to this as superficial symmetry—where male participation appears equal on the surface, but in reality, the burden of responsibility still falls on women.

Question 29

Wat is meant by ‘superficial symmetry’

Answer 29

where male participation appears equal on the surface, but in reality, the burden of responsibility still falls on women.

Question 30

Ferri and Smith (1996)- Childcare

Answer 30

Fewer took responsibility for children in less than 4% of families

Question 31

Dex and Ward (2007)- Childcare

Answer 31

78% of fathers played with their 3 year old child, but when it came to caring for them when they were sick only 1% took the main responsibility.

Question 32

Edgell (1980)- Decision making

Answer 32

-Studied decision-making in MC families and found that very important decisions—such as those involving finance, a change of job, or moving house—were most often made by the husband. -In contrast, less important decisions, like home décor or children’s clothing, were usually made by the wife. This suggests that, despite some shifts in family roles, men continue to hold more power within the household, reflecting ongoing patriarchal structures.

Question 33

Hardill- Decision making

Answer 33

MC wives (even in dual earning households) still generally looked towards their husbands to age major decisions

Question 34

Pahl (1993)- Money management

Answer 34

-Examined money management within households and found that the most common system was “husband-controlled pooling”-both partners’ earnings and benefits were combined, but the husband had more control over how the money was spent. In many cases, men gave their wives an allowance to cover household expenses, while retaining any surplus income for themselves. -This shows that even when finances are “shared,” men often maintain financial dominance, reinforcing gender inequality within the family. However, in dual earning families, the wife had more control over household finance, showing a partial move to equality.

Question 35

What is husband controlled pooling

Answer 35

both partners’ earnings and benefits were combined, but the husband had more control over how the money was spent.

Question 36

Barret and Mclntosh (1991)- Money management

Answer 36

Men benefit more from women’s domestic work than women do from men’s financial support. The money men give is often inconsistent and comes with ‘strings’ attached, and men typically control spending on important items, reinforcing male dominance in the family.

Question 37

What is meant by the ‘dark side of the family’

Answer 37

-The negative aspects of family life that are often hidden or ignored. These include: -Domestic violence and abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual) -Child abuse or neglect -Emotional stress and conflict -Gender inequality and oppression

Question 38

How many incidents of DV is reported to the police every minute

Answer 38

1 incident of DV is reported to the police every minute

Question 39

On average, how many women a week are killed by a current or former partner

Answer 39

On average 2 women a week are killed by a current or former male partner

Question 40

For every 3 victims of DV how many are women

Answer 40

For every 3 victims of DV 2 are women

Question 41

Between march 2023 and March 2024, how many DV related crimes in England and Wales were recorded

Answer 41

Between March 2023 and March 2024, police in England and Wales recorded 1.4 million domestic abuse related crimes.

Question 42

Dobash and Dobash (1979)- Domestic Violence

Answer 42

-Conducted interviews with women in Scottish refuges and found that domestic violence stems from patriarchal structures within marriage and family life. They discovered that abuse often occurred when a husband felt his authority was being challenged, for example, if a wife questioned his decisions or failed to meet expectations around housework. -In such cases, violence was used to reassert male dominance within the household. This behaviour was further reinforced by social institutions such as the police and courts, which often failed to take domestic abuse seriously. For instance, marital rape was not made illegal until 1991, highlighting how the legal system historically protected male power.

Question 43

what was Dobash and Dobash’s (1979) study on domestic violence based on

Answer 43

interviews with women in Scottish refuges

Question 44

What is violent behaviour n the family further reinforced by according to Dobash and Dobash (1979)

Answer 44

social institutions such as the police and courts, which often failed to take domestic abuse seriously. For instance, marital rape was not made illegal until 1991, highlighting how the legal system historically protected male power.

Question 45

When was marital rap made illegal

Answer 45

1991

Question 46

Reasons why domestic violence is highly under reported

Answer 46

-May not recognise it as abuse, especially if they love the abuser or if it is emotional or psychological (gaslighting) -men often face stigma (gender stereotypes- toxic masculinity), leading to lower reporting rates, -other factors such as fear, shame, financial dependence or hope for change.

Question 47

According to Yearnshire, how many assault dos a woman suffer before reporting

Answer 47

GYearnshire- on average a woman suffers 35 assaults before making a report- making it the least likely to be reported crime

Question 48

Why is there stigma surrounding domestic violence against men

Answer 48

Toxic masculinity

Question 49

What does sthe Materiaistic explanation of DV focus on

Answer 49

Focuses on how economic and social inequality can increase stress within families, leading to higher risks of violence. This explanation helps us understand class differences in domestic violence statistics.

Question 50

Wilkinson- materialistic explanation of DV

Answer 50

families living on low incomes or in overcrowded housing experience more stress, which can reduce emotional stability and increase the risk of conflict and abuse. She also found that people with less power, status, or income are more likely to suffer from domestic violence.