Unit 1 Sociology Revision Notes
Unit 1 Sociology Revision Notes
KEY:
Sociologist
Terminology
Study
KEY:
Sociologist
Terminology
Study
TOPIC 1: COUPLES
The domestic division of labour
The domestic division of labour refers to the roles that men and women play in the relation to housework, childcare and paid work
Parsons: instrumental and expressive roles * in the traditional nuclear family the roles of husbands and wives are segregated
Parsons (1995) identified the clear division of labour between spouses: * Husbands played an instrumental role, being the breadwinner and achieving well in work in order to provide economical support for his family whereas the wife had an expressive role which was to be a housewife and provide primary socialisation for the children and meeting the emotional needs of the family * Parson argues that the division of labour happens due to biological differences that women are naturally suited for the nurturing role and men are normally suited to be a provider * Parson thinks that this division of labour is suited for both men and women, to their children and generally wider society. The New Right agree with this theory * Young and Willmott (1962) argue that husbands are becoming a new man and doing more domestic tasks plus more wives are becoming career women, earning a wage which helps to economically support the family * Feminists rejects Parsons’ view as they feel it only benefits men and the division of labour is not natural
Joint and segregated conjugal roles
Bott (1957) distinguishes between two types of conjugal roles within marriage: * Segregated conjugal roles are when the man is the breadwinner and the wife is the homemaker but their leisure activities also tend to be separate. Similar to Parson’s theory * Joint conjugal roles where the couples share tasks such as housework and childcare also spending their leisure time together
Young and Willmott identify a pattern of segregated families in a traditional
KEY:
Sociologist
Terminology
Study
KEY:
Sociologist
Terminology
Study
TOPIC 1: COUPLES
The domestic division of labour
The domestic division of labour refers to the roles that men and women play in the relation to housework, childcare and paid work
Parsons: instrumental and expressive roles * in the traditional nuclear family the roles of husbands and wives are segregated
Parsons (1995) identified the clear division of labour between spouses: * Husbands played an instrumental role, being the breadwinner and achieving well in work in order to provide economical support for his family whereas the wife had an expressive role which was to be a housewife and provide primary socialisation for the children and meeting the emotional needs of the family * Parson argues that the division of labour happens due to biological differences that women are naturally suited for the nurturing role and men are normally suited to be a provider * Parson thinks that this division of labour is suited for both men and women, to their children and generally wider society. The New Right agree with this theory * Young and Willmott (1962) argue that husbands are becoming a new man and doing more domestic tasks plus more wives are becoming career women, earning a wage which helps to economically support the family * Feminists rejects Parsons’ view as they feel it only benefits men and the division of labour is not natural
Joint and segregated conjugal roles
Bott (1957) distinguishes between two types of conjugal roles within marriage: * Segregated conjugal roles are when the man is the breadwinner and the wife is the homemaker but their leisure activities also tend to be separate. Similar to Parson’s theory * Joint conjugal roles where the couples share tasks such as housework and childcare also spending their leisure time together
Young and Willmott identify a pattern of segregated families in a traditional