Families: 4. Domestic Labour/Power and the Family

Question 1

What is Parsons’ view of the division of labour and power within the family?

Answer 1

• Distribution of labour stabilises because it gives men and women clear and distinct roles
• Husband is responsible for economic welfare and protection
• Wife is responsible for emotional care and socialisation of children
• Power relationship is equally balanced but roles are just different.

Question 2

How does Young & Wilmott’s March of Progress link to power dynamics in the family?

Answer 2

• Their study in the 50s clearly stated that conjugal roles were segregated.
• By the 1970s, their study suggested a change in the roles and was more likely to become egalitarian, which it arguably did.

Question 3

What was the Feminist response to Functionalist thinkers in the 1970s?

Answer 3

Anne Oakley (1974)

• First to point out that many sociologists ignore domestic work. Example of malestream sociology
• Patriarchy was still a major part of modern nuclear families and women still occupied a subordinate role.

Question 4

Decision Making within the family

Answer 4

Edgells (1980): Decision making was allocated to either Very Important decisions, Important decisions or Less Important decisions.
Hardill (1997): Major decisions were deferred to the man in MC households because he is the primary breadwinner.
Vogler & Pahl (2001): Decision making is shaped by income. Only one-fifth of households are egalitarian in decision making.

Question 5

Childcare & Domestic Work in the family

Answer 5

Craig (2007): Women do between one-third and one-half more housework than men.
Fisher (1999): Fathers care of infants rose by 800% between 1975 and 1997
Men today are around the home a great deal more than their fathers and grandfathers.

Question 6

Emotion Work in the family

Answer 6

Duncombe & Marsden (1999): Any measure of equality in the household must take account of ‘emotion work’. Women take major responsibility for the emotional wellbeing of their partners and children, as well as doing paid work. Women work a ‘triple shift’.

Question 7

Same Sex Couples & Gender Ideas in the family

Answer 7

Dunne (1999): Traditional division of domestic labour is because of ‘gender scripts’. Study of 37 lesbian couples showed that they are far more egalitarian due to lack of gender scripts.
Carrington (1999): Study of gay and lesbian couples. Tension over household tasks was no different to heterosexual couples. More effected by who was the breadwinner than gender.

Question 8

Biology as an explanation for inequalities in Domestic Power

Answer 8

Functionalist view (Parsons, Murdock)

• Gender differences are brought about by ‘primary biological differences’
• Men tend to be taller and stronger than women and can therefore complete more manual labour, which makes them more suitable for the workplace.

Question 9

Familial & Patriarchal Ideology as an explanation for inequalities in Domestic Power

Answer 9

Feminist & Postmodernist view

• Oakley: men are privileged and will not give this up
• O’Brien & Shamilt (2003): Beliefs about feminine and masculine roles have discourage men from partaking in traditionally female roles e.g. housework.
• Leonard (2000): Argues that ideology suggests that men resist change because the inequality benefits them.

Question 10

Ideology of Motherhood & Fatherhood as an explanation for inequalities in Domestic Power

Answer 10

• Chambers: mothers tend to put their children first which may lead women to feel guilty about full time work.
• Miller (2010): Responsibilities of fatherhood are not as clear cut as motherhood.

Question 11

Gender Socialisation as an explanation for inequalities in Domestic Power

Answer 11

Familial Ideology influences the socialisation process and gender expectations e.g. Toxic masculinity

Question 12

Social Policy as an explanation for inequalities in Domestic Power

Answer 12

Lack of free universal childcare is regarded as an obstacle for gender inequality. Women are still reliant on men.

Question 13

Relative Resources Theory as an explanation for inequalities in Domestic Power

Answer 13

• Main cause of gender inequality in the home is economic.
• Men dominate relationships because they dominate the workplace
• Double income couples demonstrate a more egalitarian distribution of tasks.

Question 14

Marxist Feminist criticisms of power dynamics in relationships

Answer 14

Argue that domestic labour performed by women serves the needs of capitalism

Question 15

Radical Feminist criticisms of power dynamics in relationships

Answer 15

The first oppression is the oppression of women by men, women are an exploited class. Patriarchy means women are punished.