Couples

• Domestic division of labour

  Functionalist view: Men have an instrumental role (breadwinner), women have an expressive role (homemaker) - biologically constructed
• Willmott and Young - March of progress in the family


  Family life is gradually improving and becoming more equal. Long-term trend away from segregated conjugal roles. The symmetrical nuclear family is more common among young couples due to change in women's position, geographical mobility, new technology, higher standards of living.
• Feminists


  Divide isn't natural as it benefits men. Reject march of progress view as families are unequal because women do most of housework.
• Impact of paid work - March of progress view


  Women going to work leading to equal division of home labour, men involve themselves more in childcare and housework, women involved in paid work outside the house.
• Impact of paid work - Feminist view


  Women going into work hasn't made division of labour more equal, instead they have a dual burden - housework, paid work, and emotional work.
• Gershuny


  Women working full time means less women did less domestic work than those who don't work.
• Sullivan


  Found that 1975-1997 women did lesser share of domestic work due to work.
• Oakley


  Men cherry pick the fun tasks whereas women are left to do the domestic tasks.
• Warde and Hetherington


  Men do female tasks if woman isn't around.
• Bott


  Segregated conjugal roles - the couple have separate roles (a male breadwinner and female homemaker). Joint conjugal roles - where couples share tasks (like housework, childcare, leisure activities).
• Duncombe and Marsden


  Women have triple shift as they do house work, paid work, and emotional work.
• Explanations for division of labour - Cultural


  Shared by patriarchal norms and values e.g. Man Yee Kan found men do more domestic labour, suggesting attitudes are changing
• Explanations for division of labour - Material


  Women earn less than men so it's rational for them to do more housework. Kan found that for every 10k a year a women earns, she'll do two hours less housework per week.
• Explanations for division of labour - Dunne


  Lesbian couples have more symmetrical relationships as there's no gender scripts
• Arber and Gin


  Better paid middle class women can buy labour saving devices and ready meals instead of doing domestic tasks themselves.
• Radical feminist explanation of domestic violence

  Say Dobash and Dobash findings are evidence of patriarchy, they also say that violence preserves men's power over women. They say that state institutions are dominated by men and men are the offenders of domestic violence.
• Materialistic explanation of domestic violence


  Focuses on economic material factors like income and housing. Wilkinson and Pickett say domestic violence comes from family members stress they get from social inequality. Those on low income are more likely to be stressed lowering the chance if stable relationships and raising the chance of violence.
• Marxist feminist explanation of domestic violence


  Fran Ansley says women are the 'takers of shit'.
• Barrett and McIntosh


  Men gain more from women's domestic work than they give back financially.
• Kempson


  In low income families women will deny needs like going out and proper portions so they can meet ends meet.
• Money management - Allowance system


  Husband gives wife an allowance that she budgets out for family needs.
• Money management - Pooling


  Both partners have access to income and both responsible for expenditure.
• Decision making - Edgell


  Very important choices like finances and career were made by husbands, important choices like children's education are joint, less important choices are made by wives.
• Pahl


  Argues pooling doesn't always mean equality, we need to know who controls the pooled money, if they contribute equally etc.
• Vogler


  Cohabiting couples don't pool but also share domestic tasks better than married couples.
• Elizabeth Bott


  Segregated conjugal roles - the couple have separate roles (a male breadwinner and female homemaker). Joint conjugal roles - where couples share tasks (like housework, childcare, leisure activities).
• Feminists - Oakley


  Explaining Gender Division of Labour - Cultural explanation: Division of labour is determined by patriarchal norms and values that shape the gender roles in our culture. Material explanation: The fact that women generally earn less than men means it is economically rational for women to do more of the housework and childcare.
• Evidence for cultural explanation - Gershuny


  Couples whose parents had a more equal relationship are more likely to share housework equally.
• Gender and domestic violence - Walby and Allen


  Women more likely to be victims of multiple incidents of abuse or sexual violence.
• Gender and domestic violence - Dar


  Can be difficult to count separate abuse incidents because abuse is continuous or happens so often that the victim can't reliably keep count.
• Gender and domestic violence - Dobash and Dobash


  Found that violent incidents were set if by challenging husbands authority like asking why he was late, they concluded that marriage legitimises violence against women.