past paper questions Flashcards
‘The nuclear family is the dominant family structure.’ Explain this view [10mks]
- It remains the most popular/common.
-Extent of family diversity exaggerated – most people don’t live in
alternative family types for long
-The universality of the nuclear family (Murdock).
-
‘The nuclear family is the dominant family structure.’
Using sociological material, give one argument against this view. [6mks]
- Questionable whether nuclear family has ever been prominent anyway
- Women’s changing aspirations e.g. career focus – more inclined to
reject marriage/nuclear family resulting in growth of singletons,
cohabitation, childless couples.
-Statistical growth in other family types (e.g. lone parent, same
sex)/decline in the numbers of nuclear family shows the nuclear family
is no longer the dominant family type
Explain two strengths of Marxist feminist views of the family [6mk]
- Recognises women as doubly exploited due to both patriarchy and also
capitalism. - Identifies the important role women play in the family to maintain
capitalism. - Highlights the exploitation women face due to the relationship the family
has with capitalism.
Explain two limitations of Marxist views of the family. [6mk]
Ignore the many benefits of the nuclear family to its members e.g.
provides emotional and economic support etc
- Do not recognise the increased independence women have gained –
this has given them greater power/equality in the family.
- Assumes children are passive receivers of capitalist ideology/fails to
take into account free will – parents/children may actively reject
capitalist values/not suffer false class consciousness.
Evaluate the view that gender no longer influences roles in the family [26mks]
FOR :
Women’s increased
involvement in the
workplace has led to
greater involvement of
men in domestic
chores/greater power in
important decisions.
Legal/social policy changes have led to
more women becoming main breadwinner in families.
Changes in social/cultural attitudes
has seen greater gender equality in the
distribution of roles in the family.
Grandparent support means both parents can be in employment/breadwinner role is not fixed to the man.
Impact of
commercialisation of
housework – men are
now more involved
whilst technology
means women.
spending less time on it.
Post–modern societies,
family relationships no
longer fixed by tradition
/ greater freedom of
choice in deciding
family roles.
Increase in same sex
couples in some
societies, that don’t
conform to gender
scripts.
AGAINST ;
- Evidence of unequal sharing of housework/childcare/emotion work/. - men tend to only do the housework that’s considered ‘fun’.
- Evidence of women taking greater burden in the family - triple shift.
‘The experience of childhood is different today than in the past.’
Using sociological material, give one argument against this view [6mks]
- Gender differences – girls continue to face more restrictions than boys
(Hillman/Bonke).
-Children are now exposed to the adult world at a young age through
media - this is similar to the past when they were exposed to the adult
world through work.
-
Evaluate the view that social policies are the main reason for
increased family diversity [26mk]
FOR ;
-Laws making divorce more accessible to enable new family formation (1)
-New laws legally recognising other family forms e.g same sex (2)
-Welfare system to financially support single parent families. (3)
Against ;
- Changing social attitudes /wider acceptance of different family forms(2)
- Impact of feminism / rise in female independence –don’t necessarily need a
partner/husband in their life for financial security / has caused rise in divorce rate and new family formation. (1) - Women focusing on education/careers is
leading to them having children later in life – this results in smaller families
-
‘Domestic labour is now shared equally between men and women in the
family.’
Explain this view [10mk]
Evidence of sharing domestic tasks equally.
* March of progress view.
* Changes in lives of women have led to greater equality/sharing of
domestic labour in the home.
* Impact of technology on housework/sharing of housework.
* Changes in motherhood and fatherhood / fathers taking a greater
involvement in childcare / mothers increasingly taking on the instrumental
breadwinner role.
* Impact of women working
* Changes in male identities – traditional notions of masculinity are being
replaced e.g. by ‘new man’, willing to involve themselves in roles
traditionally considered feminine.
* Impact of the decline in traditional male occupations – more men
experiencing unemployment and taking up greater share of the domestic
tasks.
Explain two ways the role of women in the family supports capitalism. [8mks]
- Act as a sponge/safety valve - absorbs the man’s frustration of powerlessness in the workplace ensuring he is fit for work.
- Socialise children into future obedient workers.
- Reproduce next generation to replace dead/retired workers.
- Wives/mothers in employment/dual earner families/reserve army of
labour - becomes an additional worker for the capitalists/cheap
temporary workers in the absence of husband/fathers in the workplace. - Contributes economically through consumerism/buying goods to meet
family’s needs. - Provides unpaid domestic labour/childcare enabling the men to stay at
work longer/can focus their energy on the workplace.
‘Men have more power than women in the family.’
Explain this view. 10mks
Husband’s power comes from his position as the major earner / main
breadwinner (Edgell).
Men tend to make the very important financial decisions/men control the
money (Edgell - Edgell (1980) Interviewed middle class couples to find out who made the decisions in the relationship. Edgell discovered that men had control over the majority of the decision making.)
The decisions which men made were:
*Moving House *Finance *Car
The decisions which women made were:
*Interior Decorations *Food and Other Domestic Spending *Children’s Clothes)
Even when the man is unemployed, women are still expected to do the
domestic work (Morris) – reflects ingrained patriarchal norms and
values/traditions.
Middle class women generally deferred to their husbands in major
decisions (Hardill et. al.) – this reflects the man’s economic
status/power
Domestic abuse is used by the husband/man to reinforce authority
(Dobash and Dobash).
Family exists within a culture of patriarchal ideology that oppresses
women (radical feminism)/serves men.
Men continue to get the biggest share of family resources / income
(Barrett and McIntosh) – reflects the man’s power in controlling budgets
etc.
Gender roles are based on biology and so men are naturally seen as
superior and more suited to the role of breadwinner/women in the
expressive role (functionalism) – this creates hierarchy of authority.
