Symmetrical Family Flashcards
Sociologists
Young and Willmott
Young and Wilmott
Argue the modern family is symmetrical, with integrated conjugal roles
Why Has This Changed
Improved Living Standards
Amenities (e.g heating, TVs, computers) encourage couples to be home centred, building relationship + home
Men spending more time at home, so greater compulsion for domestic labour
Why Has This Changed
Decline of Extended Family
Less pressure from kin on newly married or cohabiting couples to retain traditional gender roles
No longer separate male and female networks of friends or kin
Bott - Most important factor is social network prior to marriage
Strong, tight network enforced separation of roles
Why Has This Changed
Improved Status of Women
Women in paid employment + generally improved social status
Encourages men to accept women as equals
Women more assertive
Why Has This Changed
Increase in Women in Paid Employment
Gershunny and Laurie - as wives moved into employment, they did less housework and men did more
Some progress, but slow
Kan - Some men increasingly contribute, but in ‘masculine’ tasks
Female partner with a source of income is less dependent.
Why Has This Changed
Commercialisation of Housework
Consumer goods + services to help with housework
Silver and Schor - Commericialisation takes away from drudgery and time-consuming elements (more time spent, higher standards - Schor)
Housework less skilled - men do more
But still needs to be organised + only available to well off
Why Has This Changed
Weaker Gender Identities
Postmodernists - men + women have more choice in how they see themselves and their roles
Couples free to ‘pick’n’mix’ roles + identity, less constrained masc/femme gender roles
May weaken gender divisions in housework
Kan - may be a hope, not reality
