Sociology - Families & Households / Couples Flashcards
What two conjugal roles does Parsons identify?
The instrumental (male - breadwinner) and the expressive role (female - nurturer/carer).
What does Parsons think of the domestic division of labour?
He believes it is functional for the family, it’s members and wider society. He also sees it as biologically based - women are suited to do housework and childcare and men are suited to provide for the family.
Who agrees and who disagrees with Parsons?
The New Right agree with Parsons that it is biologically based and beneficial to the family.
Feminists reject the functionalist view and argue that it is not natural and only benefits men.
What is the domestic division of labour?
The roles men and women play, e.g. Housework, childcare, paid work etc.
What is the march of progress view?
This view sees conjugal roles becoming more equal in modern society.
What are the two types of conjugal roles?
Joint conjugal roles - couples sharing domestic tasks and leisure.
Segregated conjugal roles - couples spend their time separately. Like Parsons instrumental and expressive role.
What did Young and Willmott do in the 50s & 70s?
They carried out telephone interviews in Bethnal Green to find out what families were like and whether they had segregated or joint conjugal roles.
What did Young and Willmott find in the 50s?
They found that families had segregated conjugal roles. Men were the breadwinners and spent their leisure with their work mates. Whereas the women were full-time housewives and child carers.
What did Young and Willmott find in the 70s?
They saw a change in how families lived. Families had more joint conjugal roles as many women were going out to work and men were helping out with childcare and housework. Couples were spending their leisure time together and men were more home centred.
Who rejects the march of progress view and why?
Feminists, because they see the family as patriarchal, not symmetrical or equal. Women still do most of housework and childcare.
What does Oakley argue about the housewife role?
She argues that the housewife role is the primary role for women. It is the result of industrialisation and factory production in the 19th century, which led to the separation of paid work from the home.
Why did women become economic burdens?
Women were excluded from the workforce and confined to home.
What do feminists think about the housewife role?
That it is socially constructed and not natural (unlike the functionalist and new right view)
What does Oakley argue about Young and Willmott’s study?
She found no evidence of symmetry in domestic labour and argues that they exaggerated the men’s role. Although men helped out, this could include ironing their own shirt once a week.
