Families and Households Flashcards
What did Parsons suggest about domestic division of labour?
- Instrumental role - male breadwinner
- Expressive role - female caring mother
What are the 2 types of conjugal roles? Which sociologist?
Bolt
1. Segregated conjugal roles - like Parsons idea
2. Joint conjugal roles - couple share tasks
What is the March of progress view - domestic division of labour?
Willmott and Young
Families are more equal, more joint conjugal roles = more symmetry.
How do feminists oppose march of progress view?
Women going to work does not mean they’re equal.
Dual burden and triple shift exist.
What is the dual burden - feminists?
Women having to do both housework and paid work.
What is emotion work? Which sociologist?
Leads to _______ _____
Hochschild
Women must manage their own, husband and children’s emotions.
Thus, triple shift of paid work, housework and emotion work.
What are the 2 explanations of the gender division in domestic labour?
- Cultural explanation - women perform housework as society expects this ‘norm’.
- Material explanation - women earn less at paid work.
What did Kempson say about decision-making?
W.C. mothers make sure money goes towards the kids.
Even if they have to skip meals.
Resources are shared unequally.
What did Pahl and Vogler suggest about decision-making? Money management
- Allowance system - husbands give wives an allowance for family needs. Man keeps the rest.
- Pooling - shared bank account.
What does Edgell suggest about decision-making?
Important decisions like job, housing –> men
Less important like holiday destination –> joint
Not important like clothes, food –> women
How do feminists explain decision-making?
Not linked to money but cultural expectations.
Patriarchal society and gender role socialisation.
What is domestic violence?
Physical, sexual or psychological abuse.
What are some statistics on domestic violence?
- 2 females are killed a week by male partner.
- Yearshire found women suffer an average of 35 assaults before reporting (if they do).
How do radical feminists explain D.V? Which sociologists?
Dobash and Dobash
D.V caused by patriarchy.
Challenges to male authority –> pressures men’s power over women.
similar to crisis of masculinity.
Evaluate the radical feminist explanation on D.V.
Elliot
Not all men are violent.
Fails to explain how some women are more likely to face D.V. (young, W.C)
How do marxist feminists explain D.V? Which sociologists?
Wilkinson and Pickett
D.V. is a result of stress on family members.
Low income –> frustration = violence.
Ansley
Women are ‘takers of shit’.
Capitalism –> men exploited –> take it out on wives.
Evaluate the marxist feminist explanation on D.V.
Doesn’t explain male victims.
D.V. is not limited to the W.C. and not all men commit.
How do postmodernists explain D.V.? Which sociologist?
Giddens
D.V. is caused by emotional intensity.
Nuclear families are more isolated –> lack of people to vent to = frustration and violence.
Evaluate the postmodernists explanation on D.V.
Not all nuclear families are abusive.
What does it mean if childhood is a social construct.
Created by society / unnatural.
Sociologists agree with this or disagree.
What is Pilcher’s opinion on the social construction of childhood?
Not social construction.
Clear and distinct life stages. Age of innocence, different use of law, services, toys.
What is Benedict’s opinion on the social construction of childhood?
Is a social construction.
Cross-cultural difference –> childhood varies culture to culture.
Evidence in Punch’s study in rural Bolivia –> 5 y/o expected to work.
How does historical relativity explain that childhood is a social construct.
Aries
10th to 13th –> childhood did not exist.
Pre-industrial paintings –> ‘mini adults’.
Modern era –> protected, innocent, dependent.
Pollock criticises historical relativity. How?
Childhood did exist, just a different notion from today’s.
+ artwork is not valid nor objective
How is childhood disappearing? Which sociologist?
Postman
Collapse of information hierarchy.
- Technology / t.v. gives access to adult knowledge.
- Children given same rights.
- Children sometimes commit ‘adult’ crimes like murder.
Evaluate childhood disappearing.
Opie
Not disappearing, but is changing.
Still there’s a separate culture for kids –> rhymes, games.
Postmodernity –> childhood is changing.
Which sociologist? Explain.
Jenks
Modern –> postmodern society.
More divorce, changes in stable relationships.
Adults become even more protective and secure = greater innocence, vulnerable.
Evaluate Jenks’ view.
Over-generalising
Not all children are in the same position.
e.g. of same sex-couple, lone parents. Other family types exist.
How do March of Progress View explain childhood is changing and improving.
4 ways.
Legal –> work restrictions, compulsory education, juvie.
Rights –> UN makes sure children are protected.
Social services –> to protect and support.
Child-centered family –> less children to ensure they’re taken care of. Decisions made in best interest of the child.
What is a ‘toxic childhood’? Which sociologist?
Against childhood improving.
Palmer
Children are more obese, more self-harm, more mental health issues and teen pregnancy.
What is the conflict view on changes to childhood?
3 sociologists.
(not improving).
Woodroffe - social class.
Poor kids will be malnourished = illness, infancy death and poor concentration.
Hillman - gender.
Boys get more freedom. Girls have to do bedroom culture and quiet activities.
Brannen - ethnicity.
Asians are tougher on kids, especially girls.
How do Firestone and Holt explain that childhood is not improving.
Care and protection is control and oppression.
Space –> specific areas where they’re allowed. More CCTV.
Resources –> dependent on adults. + child benefit given to parent, not the child.
Time –> strict, daily routines. What they eat, sleep, watch.
Bodies –> how they sit, walk, talk, dress. Told how to control like ‘don’t pick your nose’
What is the ‘new sociology of childhood’?
Studies of childhood can be dangerous.
Mayall - children seen as socialisation projects for adults to mould.
Smart - hence, we need to include views from children for better approach.
Unstructured interviews to see the world from a child’s view.
What are Murdock’s 4 essential functions of families?
- Socialisation of the youth
- Stable sexual relations
- Meeting economic needs
- Reproduction
Evaluate Murdock.
Neglects negative / hidden side of family.
D.V. and oppression.
What are Parsons’s 2 functions of families?
- Primary socialisation
- Stabilisation of adult personalities –> emotional security through marriage.
De-stress after work = avoids conflict.
Evaluate Parson.
Assumes everyone takes up norms and values.
Ignores other family types - not all are nuclear.
What 3 functions do Marxists believe families play?
Family is a tool for capitalism.
- Inheritance of property and wealth - Engles
Monogamy - wealth passed down to children = continues class inequalities. - Unit of consumption
Families targeted by advertisers to buy products.
Children use ‘pester-power’ to ensure they have latest things to prevent bullying. - Socialisation
Inequality is inevitable –> preparing them to accept orders from capitalist employers = maintains capitalism.
Evaluate Marxist perspective on their functions of the family.
Ignores the positive effects of family (-)
Nuclear family is dominant (-)
Deterministic (feminists) ignores patriarchy (-)
Explains dark side of family (+).
Feminists believe families are a tool of ______ _______
________ family serves needs of ______
Tool of female oppression.
Nuclear family serves needs of men.
