The domestic division of labour Flashcards
What two conjugal roles did Parsons (1955) identify?
The instrumental role and the expressive role.
What is the instrumental role?
The role played by the male breadwinner whose responsibility was to go out and work to provide for the household.
What is the expressive role?
The role played by the mother/female nurturer/carer.
Geared towards primary socialisation.
What does Parsons believe about the division of labour?
It is based on biological differences. e.g. Women are naturally suited to nurturing, and men to providing.
What two types of conjugal roles did Bott (1957) identify?
Segregated and Joint
What are segregated conjugal roles?
Roles where husband and wife spend their leisure separately and females are likekly to do housework.
What are joint conjugal roles?
Roles which involve couples sharing domestic tasks and leisure.
What is the symmetrical family and who coined the theory?
Young and Willmott (1973)
A family where the conjugal roles are joint and there’s an equal division of labour at home and in work.
What is the ‘new man’?
Th idea that men have changed and are now doing more household and childcare.
What are some reasons for the rise in the symmetrical family?
Major social changes during the 20th century, e.g. labour-saving devices, better housing, women in paid work, smaller families, higher living standards.
Why do feminists reject the march of progress view?
They see the family as patriarchal, not symmetrical or equal.
What does Oakley (1974) say?
Young and Willmott exaggerate men’s roles, although husbands helped this could include ironing their shirt once a week.
