Theoretical approach to gender roles in family

Question 1

Theoretical approach to gender roles - Functionalism

Answer 1

Parsons and Bales - a division of roles between men and women in families is a functional necessity that ensures that each partner specialises in the role that they are suited to:
The expressive role performed by mothers and the instrumental role by men. Parsons suggests these roles are based on biology

Question 2

Symmetry and democratisation of gender roles

Answer 2

• Young and Willmott- argued that the symmetrical family has emerged. In this family type, conjugal roles are joint, the family is a nuclear family and it is privatised where husbands and wives spend more private time in their home rather than with other family or friends. They implied that there is a step towards greater equality.
• Giddens - transformation of intimate relationships where women no longer need to accept male dominance as they have a wider range of choices. This has led to men being more willing to reveal their emotions and engage with women and children.

Question 3

Feminism

Answer 3

• Ann Oakley - women remain primarily responsible for domestic labour despite also working in paid labour which then results in women being pressed by a dual burden.
• Radical feminists - structure of gender roles shows how families are patriarchal and the fact that men exercise more power than men.
• Marxist feminists - Women undertaking unpaid work serves the needs of men and capitalism.
• Argue the family has a dark side and that families are patriarchal as women still perform most of the work and men control the areas of decisions and finances.

Question 4

Marxism

Answer 4

-Not much research done, believe that the unpaid labour that is done by women serves the needs of men and mainly capitalism.

Question 5

Postmodernism

Answer 5

Point to the much more diverse nature of families and so sociologists cannot state whether one is symmetrical or patriarchal.
State how members would create their own family practice and negotiate what roles work best for them
Research has mainly focused on roles in traditional families such as the NF and so this research cannot be generalised to other types of more modern families