Families + Households: Couples

Question 1

Explain conjugal roles

Answer 1

➞ Identified by Elizabeth Bott:
- segregated conjugal roles = separate roles (breadwinner + housewife) + separate leisure activities
- joint conjugal roles = sharing tasks (housework + childcare) + shared leisure time together
➞ functionalists (Parsons) argued that men + women have naturally different roles;
- men had instrumental roles as took charge of family life
- women had expressive roles as cared for family emotional life
➞ However, Young + Willmott argue that men are taking greater share in domestic tasks + feminists argue that the functionalists view only benefits men

Question 2

Explain the idea of the ‘symmetrical family’

Answer 2

➞ Young + Willmott describe “march of progress” - family life is more equal - from segregated to joint roles + the symmetrical family
➞ this is the view that husbands + wives roles are much more balanced + flexible
- ONS = 72% of women are employed (2024), 52% in 1970s
➞ happened due to changes in position of women, weaker gender identities etc

➞ symmetrical family as; - changes in woman’s position
- new technology
- higher standards of living

Question 3

Is there really a ‘symmetrical family’? / are couples becoming more equal?

Answer 3

➞ feminists argue little has changed, men + women remain unequal in the home + that society is still male dominated
➞ Boulton found less than 20% of husbands had a major role in childcare - tasks more than responsibilities (mother responsible for emotional well-being)
➞ Ferri + Smith argues that less than 4% of father’s take responsibility
➞ Oakley criticised this view + claims in her study (1970) that there was not symmetry as she found there was 15% participation in chores + 25% in childcare. Most were housewives, but today many women work (72% FT) - does this lead to more equal divisions or place dual burden/triple shift

➞ BSA shows men=8 hours of housework a week - women=13 hours. Men=10 hours on childcare - women=23 hours. Overall, women do twice as much as men + 60% of women felt this was unfair
➞ Duncombe + Marsden argues triple shift - employment, housework + emotional care
- Oakley argues dual burden - employment + unpaid domestic labour

Question 4

Why is there still gender division?

Answer 4

➞ Crompton identified due to the norms + values that shape gender roles. Women generally earn less therefore more rational that they do majority of housework
➞ Sullivan found that when the husband works FT, women working FT (60% of housework) rather than PT (70% of housework) was the biggest difference in terms of how much domestic work each parter does [1997]
➞ ONS - in finance jobs, 28% gender pay gap

Question 5

Who controls the money & makes the decisions in the family?

Answer 5

➞ Edgells study found:
- very important decisions e.g finance, were either taken by husband alone of jointly but husband has final say
- important decisions e.g education or holidays, usually taken jointly
- less important decisions e.g food shop, made by by wife alone

➞ however, Laurie found in 1995, 70% couples had an equal say in decisions

Question 6

What is domestic violence?

Answer 6

➞ violence or abuse, can be: psychological, physical, sexual etc
➞ ONS: in 2012, 8% who had been victims of sexual assault reported it. Women may get repercussions + can leave due to financial aspect, kids etc
➞ Yemshire found that a women typically suffers 35 assaults before reporting

           *NF ignores this dark side of the family

Question 7

Why does domestic violence occur?

Answer 7

➞ Millet + Firestone agree that all societies have been created on patriarchy + men are the enemy
➞ radical feminists see the family + marriage as the key to patriarchal society due to domestic violence as it allows men to overpower women
➞ Ansley describes wives as ‘takers of shit’ + that domestic violence is a product of capitalism- male workers exploited at work + take it out on wives