(2) Couples - The Domestic Division Of Labour

Question 1

1. What did Talcott Parsons (1955) say about conjugal roles?
2. What takes place in the INSTRUMENTAL role.
3. What takes place in the EXPRESSIVE role.

Answer 1

1. In a traditional nuclear family, the husband should play the INSTRUMENTAL role and the wife should play the EXPRESSIVE role
2. The husband providing financially.
3. The wife meeting emotional needs.

Question 2

1. What does Elizabeth Bott (1957) say about conjugal roles?
2. What takes place when the roles are SEGREGATED.
3. What takes place when the roles are JOINT.

Answer 2

1. The conjugal roles of couples can either be SEGREGATED or JOINT.
2. Couples have separate roles (Parson’s roles) and spend leisure separately.
3. Couples share tasks/roles and spend leisure together.

Question 3

What do Young and Willmott (1973) say about family?

Answer 3

A ‘march of progress’ taking place towards a SYMMETRICAL FAMILY:
Family life is improving for all members.

Question 4

Crompton and Lynette (2008):

1. Define the cultural/ideological explanation for the division of labour.
2. Define the material/economic explanation for the division of labour.

Answer 4

1. Women have been socialised to follow the patriarchal all norms that shape the gender roles of society.
2. Due to the gender pay gap (women being paid less on average), it’s economically rational for the woman to do housework instead of paid work.

Question 5

What are the two types of control over family income that Pahl and Vogler state?

Answer 5

The allowance system and Pooling.

Question 6

Who does Pahl and Vogler believe is in control of expenditure even when the money is pooled?

Answer 6

The men as they are believe to still end up having the final decision on what to spend the money on even if it is being shared equally.