Topic 1- Couples

Question 1

what 2 roles did parsons recognise in couples?

Answer 1

• instrumental role
• expressive role

Question 2

explain the instrumental role in the couple

Answer 2

• husband’s role
• geared towards success at work
• providing for the family
• breadwinner

Question 3

explain the expressive role in the couple

Answer 3

• wife’s role
• focus on primary socialisation of children
• meeting families emotional needs
• homemaker/housewife

Question 4

what does Parsons say the division of labour is based on?

Answer 4

• biological differences
• women are more naturally suited to nurture

Question 5

which sociologists criticise parsons’ view?

2 sociologists, 1 group

Answer 5

• michael young and peter willmott 1962
• feminists

Question 6

what do michael young and peter 1962 willmott say about parsons’ view on division of labour

Answer 6

• men are now taking a greater share of domestic tasks
• wives are becoming wage earners

Question 7

what do feminists say about parsons’ view on division of labour

Answer 7

• reject the division of labour is natural
• only benefits men

Question 8

what 2 conjugal roles does Elizabeth Bott 1957 recognise?

Answer 8

• segregated conjugal roles
• joint conjugal roles

Question 9

who idetified conjugal roles in 1957?

Answer 9

Elizabeth bott

Question 10

what is a segregated conjugal role?

Answer 10

• couple have separate roles
• leisure activities tend to be separate

Question 11

what is a joint conjugal role?

Answer 11

• couple shares domestic tasks
• spend leisure time together

Question 12

what view do young and willmott have on families?

Answer 12

‘march of progress’

Question 13

what is a march of progress view?

Answer 13

• family life is gradually improving for all its members
• it is becoming more equal
• there is a long term trend away from segregated conjugal roles

Question 14

what is a symmetrical family?

Answer 14

• the roles of husbands and wives are more equal and similar

Question 15

what 4 social changes have helped symmetrical families rise?

Answer 15

• changes in women’s position
• geographical mobility
• new technology
• higher living standards

Question 16

what group reject march of progress view?

Answer 16

feminists

Question 17

what does ann oakley 1974 argue about young and willmott’s view on the symmetrical family?

Answer 17

• their claims are exaggerated
• they said most husbands helped their wives at least once a week
• does not state how many times or what they are doing
• could only be one occasion

Question 18

what is the march of progress view of about the division of labour?

Answer 18

• women going out to work is creating a more equal division of labour
• men are becoming more involved in childcare and housework and women is becoming more involved in paid work

Question 19

what does Gershuny say about division of labour?

Answer 19

• women working full time is leading to a more equal division of labour
• using time studies he found that these women did less housework thsn other women

Question 20

what are 3 2012 statistics about the division of labour?

Answer 20

• men did 8 hours of housework women did 13
• men did 10 hours on care for family and men 23
• 60% of women felt the division of labour was unjust

Question 21

what is the triple shift and what sociologists refer to it?

Answer 21

• duncombe and marsden
• the act of taking care of family members is called emotion work
• with this in mind, women have to perform a triple shift which is emotion work, housework and paid work

Question 22

what are the two explanations for the unequal division of labour?

Answer 22

• the cultural or idological explanation of inequality
• the material or economic explanation of inequality

Question 23

what is the cultural or idological explanation of inequality in the gender divison of labour?

Answer 23

• equality will only change when the gender norms change including men and women’s attitudes, values and expectations and socialisation
• man yee kan found that younger men do more housework, they claimed to do more than their dads showing a generational shift in behaviour

Question 24

what is the material or economic explanation of inequality in the gender division of labour?

Answer 24

• if women joined paid workforce and earn as much as their partners then we should expect men and women to do equal amounts of housework
• ramos found when the woman is the full time breadwinner and the man is unemployed he does as much housework as the woman

Question 25

what is the statistic about gender and earners in households?

Answer 25

• in 7/8 households, men earn more than women