Gender inequality - Functionalist explanations

Question 1

What do Functionalists argue about males and females social roles?

Answer 1

That males and females have separate social roles that are based on biological differences which help society run smoothly

Question 2

What may the different roles of females and males in society show signs of?

Answer 2

Gender inequality

Question 3

What role do functionalists think women have in society?

Answer 3

The role of domesticity

Question 4

What do functionalists argue about the role of women?

Answer 4

Females can reproduce and give birth and therefore their main role is to look after and socialise children

Question 5

What does the role of women result in?

Answer 5

Females will have less opportunity to work outside of the home because their main function is to stay home

Question 6

What role do functionalists think males have in society

Answer 6

A more dominant and economic role e.g. male breadwinner

Question 7

What does the functionalist perception of the different roles of each gender in society lead to economically?

Answer 7

The division of labour amongst males and females which is very separated and can lead to gender inequality

Question 8

What did Murdock (1949) look at?

Answer 8

He studied gender roles in 200 pre-industrialised societies

Question 9

What did Murdock (1949) find about females roles in society?

Answer 9

Females were in the home due to their biological function of child bearing. They were less able to do tasks which were physical or economic. They were expected to be nurturing and caring.

Question 10

What did Murdock (1949) find about males roles in society?

Answer 10

Males were outside of the home, hunting, warfare and gathering and providing for the family. These tasks required them to be physically strong

Question 11

What did Murdock (1949) find about the division of labour?

Answer 11

There was a clear division of labour between males and females which was evident in all societies and was universal

Question 12

What did Murdock (1949) conclude about gender differences in his research?

Answer 12

They are due to biological differences that exist between males and females, and therefore males and females should perform tasks that are physically suited to them

Question 13

What are the advantages of Murdock’s (1949) research?

Answer 13

• Supported by other functionalists - Supported by Mead (1900)

Question 14

Why would Murdock’s (1949) research be supported by other functionalists?

Answer 14

Because it supports the idea of gender inequality being based on biology which supports the idea of the isolated nuclear family presented by Parsons

Question 15

Why does Mead’s (1900) research support Murdock’s (1949) research?

Answer 15

Mead (1900) on the idea of gender roles studied the Arapesh tribe in New Guinea and found that males and females have very separate gender roles that are stereotypical

Question 16

What are the disadvantages of Murdock’s (1949) research?

Answer 16

Contradictory evidence found in research conducted by Mead in the Mundugumor tribe in New Guinea

Question 17

What evidence did Mead find in further research that contradicted Murdock’s (1949) research?

Answer 17

In the Mundugumor tribe in New Guinea, males and females were both aggressive and masculine and females behaved like males and performed the same tasks as them

Question 18

Who looked at expressive and instrumental roles?

Answer 18

Talcott Parsons - Functionalist (1953)

Question 19

What did Parsons emphasised the role of the family in?

Answer 19

Socialising children and Stabilising adult personalities

Question 20

What two types of roles did Parsons (1953) find that were gender related and could cause inequality long term?

Answer 20

Instrumental and Expressive roles

Question 21

Instrumental roles

Answer 21

These are performed by males, focusing on tasks such as providing food, shelter and clothing e.g. economic and financial. This role is dominant in the family

Question 22

Expressive roles

Answer 22

These are performed by females, focusing on warmth, emotion, caring and is less dominant than the instrumental role

Question 23

What can the expressive role lead to for females?

Answer 23

Can lead to gender inequality in that this limits female career choice and opportunities, as they are expected to be mainly centred at home looking after the children

Question 24

Warm bath theory

Answer 24

Males rely on female partners to give emotional support after long days working to provide for the family. Females provide a caring environment in the family to help stabilise adult personality (for the male)

Question 25

What are the disadvantages of Parson's (1953) theory?

Answer 25

- Leech criticises for ignoring the dark side - Feminists criticise

Question 26

Why does Leech criticise Parsons (1953) theory?

Answer 26

He stated that Parsons ignores the dark side of family life whereby gender inequality is frequent. Examples include domestic violence and abuse.

Question 27

Why do Feminists criticise Parsons (1953) theory?

Answer 27

The isolated nuclear family is based on patriarchy. Males get payment for the work they do, however, females have the expressive role and get no pay and little emotional support themselves.

Question 28

What are the advantages of Parsons (1953) theory?

Answer 28

Marxists agree and support the views

Question 29

Why do Marxists agree and support Parsons (1953) theory?

Answer 29

As females have the expressive role, they can provide comfort and look after their husband/partner, look after the children, cook and clean, so that the male can function and perform his best at work in order to earn enough money in the capitalist system to support the family.

Question 30

Who came up with Human Capital Theory?

Answer 30

Rastogi (2002)

Question 31

What does Human Capital Theory by Rastogi (2002) explain?

Answer 31

The wage gap and employment differences between males and females

Question 32

What is Human Capital based on?

Answer 32

Knowledge, education, training, behaviour, competency and skills a person has which will enable them to do a certain job

Question 33

What is an example of human capital impacting gender equality?

Answer 33

A male and female do the same job, but earn different incomes. We might find the male might earn more money than the female because he has a higher level of education

Question 34

Why is it likely that males will have more human capital?

Answer 34

Because they might have more opportunity to study (not limited by children or pregnancy), and they might have more experience in the job (no maternity leave or career breaks)

Question 35

What functionalist view does Human Capital Theory support?

Answer 35

views of meritocracy, e.g. males and females serve different functions in society and are therefore rewarded in different ways

Question 36

According to Human Capital Theory by Rastogi (2002), how do the differing priorities of men and women lead to gender inequality?

Answer 36

Because males and females will have different attitudes to the labour market and different opportunities

Question 37

How can gender inequality be seen by the lower human capital females have than males?

Answer 37

Because women lack of commitment to paid employment, interrupt their career to have children (making employers less keen), are less valued than males by management and will be less likely to get promoted

Question 38

What is the advantage of Human Capital Theory by Rastogi (2002)?

Answer 38

Sloane (1994) supports it

Question 39

How does Sloane (1994) support Human Capital Theory?

Answer 39

He used data and looked at labour markets between 1985 and 1988 and found that professional qualifications had a big impact on pay. There is a 30% difference in salary for people that were doing the same job, but one was more qualified than the other.

Question 40

What are the disadvantages of Human Capital theory?

Answer 40

- Sloane found contradictory evidence - Ignores social class

Question 41

What contradictory evidence did Sloane find against Human Capital Theory?

Answer 41

Males earn 29% more than females on average when males and females were doing the same job and there were no differences found in training, qualifications.

Question 42

What did Goldstein state in Sex Role theory?

Answer 42

Girls performed better than boys on the 11 plus exams and have a higher innate ability.

Question 43

What did Oakley state in relation to Sex Role Theory?

Answer 43

Babies are treated differently at birth according to their sex, despite the lack of evidence to support genetic differences other than those relating to the reproductive organs.

Question 44

Sex role theory - functionalism

Answer 44

Socialisation process starts at birth and takes effect before children enter formal education Sex is a biological concept based on reproductive biological characteristics, whilst gender is a social expectation reflecting the way people are expected to behave from birth.