21 Jul 2020 at 11:28
The domestic division of labour
Refers to the roles that men and women play in relation to housework, childcare and paid work.
Sociologist are interested whether men and women share domestic tasks equally.
Parsons: Instrumental and Expressive Roles
Traditional nuclear family, the roles of husbands and wives are segregated.
There is a clear division of labour between spouses:
• The husband has an instrumental role, geared towards achieving success at work so he can provide for the
family financially. He is the breadwinner.
• The wife has an expressive role, geared towards primary socialisation of the children and meeting the
family’s emotional needs. She is the home maker, a full-time housewife rather than a wage earner.
Parson argues that this division of labour is based on biological differences, with women ‘naturally’ suited to the
nurturing role and men to that of the provider.
He claims that division of labour is beneficial to both men and women, to their children and to wider society.
-Politicians and the New Right hold this view.
Other sociologists reject Parson’s view that the division of labour is natural. In addition, they argue that it only
benefits men.
• Young and Willmott argue that men are now taking a greater share of domestic tasks and more wives are
becoming wage earners.
• Feminist sociologists reject Parsons’ view that the division of labour is natural. In addition, they argue that it
only benefits men.
Joint and Segregated conjugal roles
Both distinguish between two types of conjugal roles: that is roles within marriage:
• Segregated conjugal roles: where the couple have separate roles (male breadwinner/female
home maker/carer). Their leisure activities also tend to be separate.
• Joint conjugal roles: couples share tasks such as housework and childcare and spend their leisure time
together.
Young and Willmott identifies a pattern of segregated conjugal roles in a study of traditional working-class extended
families.
Bethnal Green, East London (1950s)
Men were the bread winners. They played little part in home life and spent
their leisure time with workmates in pubs and working men’s clubs. Women were
full-time housewives with sole responsibility for housework and childcare,
helped by their female relatives. The limited leisure women had was also
spent with female kin.
The Symmetrical Family
Young and Willmott take a ‘march of progress’ view of the history of the family.
• Family life was gradually improving for all its members, becoming more equal and dramatic. They argue
that there has been a long-term trend away from segregated conjugal roles and towards joint conjugal roles
and the ‘’symmetrical family’.
By symmetrical family they mean one in which the roles of husband and wives, although not identical, are now
much more similar:
• Women now go out to work, although this may be part-time rather than full - time.
• Men now help with housework and childcare.
• Couples now spend their leisure time together instead of separately with workmates or female relatives.
The domestic division of labour
Refers to the roles that men and women play in relation to housework, childcare and paid work.
Sociologist are interested whether men and women share domestic tasks equally.
Parsons: Instrumental and Expressive Roles
Traditional nuclear family, the roles of husbands and wives are segregated.
There is a clear division of labour between spouses:
• The husband has an instrumental role, geared towards achieving success at work so he can provide for the
family financially. He is the breadwinner.
• The wife has an expressive role, geared towards primary socialisation of the children and meeting the
family’s emotional needs. She is the home maker, a full-time housewife rather than a wage earner.
Parson argues that this division of labour is based on biological differences, with women ‘naturally’ suited to the
nurturing role and men to that of the provider.
He claims that division of labour is beneficial to both men and women, to their children and to wider society.
-Politicians and the New Right hold this view.
Other sociologists reject Parson’s view that the division of labour is natural. In addition, they argue that it only
benefits men.
• Young and Willmott argue that men are now taking a greater share of domestic tasks and more wives are
becoming wage earners.
• Feminist sociologists reject Parsons’ view that the division of labour is natural. In addition, they argue that it
only benefits men.
Joint and Segregated conjugal roles
Both distinguish between two types of conjugal roles: that is roles within marriage:
• Segregated conjugal roles: where the couple have separate roles (male breadwinner/female
home maker/carer). Their leisure activities also tend to be separate.
• Joint conjugal roles: couples share tasks such as housework and childcare and spend their leisure time
together.
Young and Willmott identifies a pattern of segregated conjugal roles in a study of traditional working-class extended
families.
Bethnal Green, East London (1950s)
Men were the bread winners. They played little part in home life and spent
their leisure time with workmates in pubs and working men’s clubs. Women were
full-time housewives with sole responsibility for housework and childcare,
helped by their female relatives. The limited leisure women had was also
spent with female kin.
The Symmetrical Family
Young and Willmott take a ‘march of progress’ view of the history of the family.
• Family life was gradually improving for all its members, becoming more equal and dramatic. They argue
that there has been a long-term trend away from segregated conjugal roles and towards joint conjugal roles
and the ‘’symmetrical family’.
By symmetrical family they mean one in which the roles of husband and wives, although not identical, are now
much more similar:
• Women now go out to work, although this may be part-time rather than full - time.
• Men now help with housework and childcare.
• Couples now spend their leisure time together instead of separately with workmates or female relatives.
