Test revision

Question 1

Para 2

Answer 1

Point: birth rates outside of marriage

2018, over 48% of children were born to unmarried parents in the UK with many of these births being to cohabiting couples rather than lone parents.

important because it shows how reduced stigma around having children outside of marriage or the reduction of importance placed on marriage at all influenced relationships.

e.g typical relationship models within families such as Talcott Parsons stabilisation of adult personalities has become increasingly ignored as the focus in the household will be placed more on the child and less on the emotionally supporting the cohabiting partner to maintain societal norms.

The impact on relationships between partners is therefore one way in which changing childbearing patterns may have influenced gender roles and relationships within families and households.

Question 1

Para 1

Answer 1

Point: Female careers

Women becoming more involved with higher education and career aspirations, led to a decrease in fertility rates of all women under age 40.

shows gender roles shifting as women delay having children to focus on a career in their younger years, a large shift from expected gender roles in current household models.

differs from the symmetrical family model (featured in the ‘march of progress’) where Willmott and Young argue currently conjugal and financial roles are becoming more equal between parents, whereas childbearing patterns are showing that in reality Women are increasingly forgoing childbirth for an extended career.

shows how childbearing patterns have altered the women’s gender role to become more financially focused than family orientated in many households.