Couples (Domestic division of labour)

• Parsons' (1955) - Knowledge (A01):

  • model of family suggests husband has instrumental role (family financial/breadwinner).
  • wife has expressive role (primary socialisation of children/homemaker).
  • Conservative thinkers/politicians/New Right
• Parsons' (1955) - Analyse (A02):

  • Parsons' only supports separate roles as male and female gender scripts, both having biological differences.
• Parsons' (1955) - Evaluation (A03):

  • Micheal + Willmott (1962), argue men now taking on more domestic work, more wives becoming wage earners.
  • Feminist sociologists' reject view, only benefiting men.
• Bott (1957) - Knowledge (AO1):

  • two types of conjugal roles:
  • segregated roles = both gender roles have separate roles/ tend to be separate.
  • Joint conjugal = share tasks + time together.
• Bott (1957) - Analyse (A02):

  • she supports separate roles as assigning two types in marriage.
• Bott (1957) - Evaluation (A03):

  • Functionalist, Parsons' (1955) believes in clear division of labour, not shared tasks in couples relations.
• Young + Willmott (1973) - knowledge (A01):

  • study of traditional working class extended families.
  • more common, with geographically + socially isolated.
  • rise in symmetrical nuclear families.
• Young + Willmott (1973) - Analyse (A02):

  • 'march of progress' view gradually improving, more equal and democratic, trend towards joint conjugal 'symmetrical family' (much more similar).
  • factors influencing this:
  • changes in women positions.
  • geographically mobile.
• Young + Willmott - Evaluation (A03):

  • Boutlon found fewer than 20% of husband major role in childcare.
  • Young + Willmott exaggerated not looking at all responsibilities.
• Feminist view/Oakley (1974) - Knowledge (A01):

  • Criticises Young + Willmott as exaggerating.
  • No evidence of symmetry.
• Oakley (1974) - Analyse (A02):

  • Her own research, only 15% of husbands had high levels of participation and only 25% had high level in participation in childcare.
• Oakley (1974) - Evaluation (A03):

  • Warde + Hetherington found evidence of slight change of attitude among younger men.
• Dunne's (1999) - Lesbian couples + gender scripts (A01):

  • argues heterosexual are under pressure cuz of 'gender scripts', different types of domestic tasks.
  • lesbian couples more symmetrical relations, absence of 'gender scripts' (norms for different gender roles).
  • 37 lesbians with dependent child - described as equal, shared housework/childcare.
• Dunne's (1999) - sociologists views:

  • supports Radical feminists view on relationships of heterosexual being patriarchal.
  • Weeks (1999) + Smart (2007), same-sex offer greater opportunities of equality cuz division of labour open for negotiation.
• Dunne's (1999) - Evaluation (A03):

  • however, found one partner did much more paid work. suggests paid work still affects division of labour.
• Cultural explanation for division of labour:

  • division of labour is determined by patriarchal norms/values in our culture. society expects women to perform domestic labour, socialised into norms at young age.
  • Ex, Parsons' instrumental and expressive roles.
• Material explanation for division of labour:

  • women earn less money than men's means more economically beneficial for them to do the childcare/housework while the man the 'breadwinner' brings large proportions of money.
• Evaluation on explanations for division of labour:

  • I agree with cultural explanation because in modern times women have gained more career opportunities due to decrease in stigma in divorce/marrying at a later age. Therefore, women will gain equal amounts of pay due to equality act (1970) and discrimination act (1975).