Families and Households Notes
1. Couples
2. Childhood
3. Theories on the family
4. Demography
5. Changing Family Patterns
6. Family Diversity
7. Family and Social Policy
,Keywords Couples/Conjugal Roles
Segregated Roles – This refers to when the husband and wife
have separate roles. Often the men are breadwinners and the
women are housemakers.
Instrumental Role - This is the role of the breadwinner. They
are providers.
Expressive Role – Role of the housemaker, often socialising
children.
Patriarchy – The feminist idea that society is oppressing
women.
Joint - The couple shares domestic tasks such as housework and
childcare.
The Symmetrical Family – Couples have the same roles in the
family. Ie both are in full time paid work.
Sex-typing - The belief that men and women have
characteristics and skills that make jobs suitable only for men
and others suitable only for women
Dual burden – Women having to manage part time work (paid)
and domestic work (unpaid). Paid work doesn’t make roles equal
unless full time
Triple shift – Women must also look after the emotional needs
of the family, making sure everyone is happy often at the
expense at their own.
New man – Gershon’s idea that in modern society men are
becoming stay at home fathers or simply doing much more
domestic work than before.
Glass ceiling – An imaginary limit to where women are
restricted in the hierarchy of work. They are often limited to
certain (not top) roles. So, they do not earn the same amount as
men = still financial dependency.
Allowance – A system where men (the breadwinner and
controller of finances) give women an amount of money for
,them to budget for themselves and the family. If they need
more, they ask (power imbalance).
Strings attached allowances – An allowance that has needs
that must be met. For example, making sure the husband feels
loved/sexual activity.
Pooling – Both the husband and wife put some money in the
pool for family expenses but have their own accounts for
personal expenses. This maintains a level of independence and
stops women from being dependent.
Gender Scripts - Set of behaviours and expectations that are
associated with a person's gender
Domestic Violence – The mental, physical or emotional abuse
of someone.
Dark figure of crime’ – Domestic violence stats are not fully
representative because many victims do not report their crime,
and the police are unwilling to investigate personal matters that
the person can ‘freely leave’.
Men are the enemy – The radical feminist view of men.
(Dobash + Dobash)
Takers of Shit – Ansley - wives are take abuse from their
husbands and domestic violence is the product of capitalism.
Men who come work from being exploited taking their frustration
out on women
Key Names
Parsons - The traditional nuclear family is the most suitable for
society as it allows for a geographical mobile workforce. There
should be two roles (instrumental and expressive).
Willmott and Young - The Symmetrical Family – The idea that
there has been a long-term movement away from traditional
gender roles and they now have more equal roles especially in
domestic tasks.
, Oakley - Feminist View of The Family – Rejecting the march of
progress view, men typically "help" with domestic tasks only
once a week, often choosing enjoyable activities like cooking or
playing with children. Sex-typing remains common, with men
handling tasks within their gender domain, such as car
maintenance or home repairs.
Gershuny – Women in full time paid work did much less
domestic work compared to those not in it. Women in paid work
have led to the new man.
Smart – Personal Life Perspective – They focus on the
meaning the couple give to the role of controlling money. Many
gay couples do not see the role as controlling or a threat to
equality, it just works better for them.
Dobash and Dobash - Radical Feminist Explanation of
Violence – Family and marriage are institutions for patriarchy,
upheld by domestic abuse or its threat. Male dominance in state
institutions, like education and government, explains police
reluctance to intervene in domestic violence cases.
Ansley – Marxist Feminist - Takers of shit – Domestic abuse is a
product of capitalism as men take their frustration of
exploitation out on women.
Potential Questions
1. Analyse two reasons why feminists argue that conjugal roles
are not joint (10)
2. Analyse two sociological explanations for domestic violence
(10)
3. Outline and explain two reasons why domestic violence is
often not reported (10)
4. Evaluate sociological reasons for domestic inequality among
couples (20)
5. Evaluate the view that conjugal roles are now equal (20)
1. Couples
2. Childhood
3. Theories on the family
4. Demography
5. Changing Family Patterns
6. Family Diversity
7. Family and Social Policy
,Keywords Couples/Conjugal Roles
Segregated Roles – This refers to when the husband and wife
have separate roles. Often the men are breadwinners and the
women are housemakers.
Instrumental Role - This is the role of the breadwinner. They
are providers.
Expressive Role – Role of the housemaker, often socialising
children.
Patriarchy – The feminist idea that society is oppressing
women.
Joint - The couple shares domestic tasks such as housework and
childcare.
The Symmetrical Family – Couples have the same roles in the
family. Ie both are in full time paid work.
Sex-typing - The belief that men and women have
characteristics and skills that make jobs suitable only for men
and others suitable only for women
Dual burden – Women having to manage part time work (paid)
and domestic work (unpaid). Paid work doesn’t make roles equal
unless full time
Triple shift – Women must also look after the emotional needs
of the family, making sure everyone is happy often at the
expense at their own.
New man – Gershon’s idea that in modern society men are
becoming stay at home fathers or simply doing much more
domestic work than before.
Glass ceiling – An imaginary limit to where women are
restricted in the hierarchy of work. They are often limited to
certain (not top) roles. So, they do not earn the same amount as
men = still financial dependency.
Allowance – A system where men (the breadwinner and
controller of finances) give women an amount of money for
,them to budget for themselves and the family. If they need
more, they ask (power imbalance).
Strings attached allowances – An allowance that has needs
that must be met. For example, making sure the husband feels
loved/sexual activity.
Pooling – Both the husband and wife put some money in the
pool for family expenses but have their own accounts for
personal expenses. This maintains a level of independence and
stops women from being dependent.
Gender Scripts - Set of behaviours and expectations that are
associated with a person's gender
Domestic Violence – The mental, physical or emotional abuse
of someone.
Dark figure of crime’ – Domestic violence stats are not fully
representative because many victims do not report their crime,
and the police are unwilling to investigate personal matters that
the person can ‘freely leave’.
Men are the enemy – The radical feminist view of men.
(Dobash + Dobash)
Takers of Shit – Ansley - wives are take abuse from their
husbands and domestic violence is the product of capitalism.
Men who come work from being exploited taking their frustration
out on women
Key Names
Parsons - The traditional nuclear family is the most suitable for
society as it allows for a geographical mobile workforce. There
should be two roles (instrumental and expressive).
Willmott and Young - The Symmetrical Family – The idea that
there has been a long-term movement away from traditional
gender roles and they now have more equal roles especially in
domestic tasks.
, Oakley - Feminist View of The Family – Rejecting the march of
progress view, men typically "help" with domestic tasks only
once a week, often choosing enjoyable activities like cooking or
playing with children. Sex-typing remains common, with men
handling tasks within their gender domain, such as car
maintenance or home repairs.
Gershuny – Women in full time paid work did much less
domestic work compared to those not in it. Women in paid work
have led to the new man.
Smart – Personal Life Perspective – They focus on the
meaning the couple give to the role of controlling money. Many
gay couples do not see the role as controlling or a threat to
equality, it just works better for them.
Dobash and Dobash - Radical Feminist Explanation of
Violence – Family and marriage are institutions for patriarchy,
upheld by domestic abuse or its threat. Male dominance in state
institutions, like education and government, explains police
reluctance to intervene in domestic violence cases.
Ansley – Marxist Feminist - Takers of shit – Domestic abuse is a
product of capitalism as men take their frustration of
exploitation out on women.
Potential Questions
1. Analyse two reasons why feminists argue that conjugal roles
are not joint (10)
2. Analyse two sociological explanations for domestic violence
(10)
3. Outline and explain two reasons why domestic violence is
often not reported (10)
4. Evaluate sociological reasons for domestic inequality among
couples (20)
5. Evaluate the view that conjugal roles are now equal (20)
