Perspectives on gender roles in families

Question 1

Functionalism

Answer 1

Parsons and bales (1955) argue division of rules between men and women and families is functional as it ensures each partner specialises in the role that the most suited to. These roles are based on biology

The expressive role is usually performed by the mother ensuring psychological emotional needs of husband and children are provided for

Instrumental role is more suited to men and involves providing an income for the family

Question 2

Evaluation of functionalist

Answer 2

Young & willmott (1973):

The emergence of the symmetrical family. They have three main characteristics:

Conjugal roles are joint
The family is nuclear- as extended family ties have weakened
The family is privatised

Disregard functionalist view as there’s greater equality than there was 50 years ago

Question 3

Feminism

Answer 3

Criticised young and wilmott point:

Ann Oakley (1974) argued that the housewife role remains the primary role for married women and showed from her study that only minority of men could be classified as having high level of participation in housework and childcare

Also the family’s Dark side is ignored by functionalists

Question 4

Marxism

Answer 4

They argue fulfilling relationships are impossible in capital society is due to materialism consumption and the need for workers to earn a living through wage labour

Unpaid labour such as housework and childcare carried out by family members benefits the capitalist class

Question 5

Post-modernism

Answer 5

family members create their own family practices such as negotiating what roles work best for them in their own circumstances.

Roles and relationships change over time

sociological research has focused too much on the roles and relationships in nuclear families and this data cannot be generalised for other family types