Functionalism: Gender

Question 1

Murdock

Answer 1

Gender division of labour - studied gender roles in over 200 societies & found women were located in the home because of their biological role of children bearing

Question 2

Parsons & Bales

Answer 2

Expressive & instrumental roles

Question 3

What is human capital theory?

Answer 3

Contends that the wage gap & other employment related differences can be explained by the amount of human capital an individual or group of workers develop through the knowledge they have obtained, through training, education etc.

Question 4

Rastogi

Answer 4

Human capital is ‘knowledge, competency, attitude and behaviour embedded in an individual’

Question 5

How does human capital theory support functionalism?

Answer 5

Men and women serve different roles and functions in society are rewarded in different ways - gender inequalities in the workplace arise and are a legitimate outcome as women develop lower levels of human capital than men.

Question 6

How does Oakley critique the functionalist view?

Answer 6

Gender roles are socially constructed

Question 7

How can human capital theory be critiqued?

Answer 7

Ignores the structural constraints in society that may disadvantage women