The Domestic Division of Labour
This refers to how couples share their domestic responsibilities.
1950s- Clear gender domains in the home with housework the women’s job and paid work for men.
Talcott Parsons (1955-functionalist) Sex Role Theory-nuclear family is the social norm because it performs two
functions which benefits the members of the family and society:
1. Maintains social order through socialisation and the stabilisation of adult personalities
2. Support the economy as husbands work hard to provide for family
He says these roles are biologically determined with men having the instrumental role: breadwinner, protector,
focused on maintaining relationship with outside world and women having the expressive role: primary
socialisation, emotional needs, focused on maintaining relationships with the family.
Feminists criticised Parsons for arguing gender roles are biological and therefore fixed (deterministic), gender is
socially constructed and girls and boys are socialised into restrictive gender roles from an early age.
March of Progress Theory: argues negative social situation has improves over time.
Wilmott and Young- March of progress intergenerational longitudinal study of w/c families in East London.
He tested hypothesis based on Elizabeth Bott (1957) concepts: segregated conjugal roles (couples have separate
roles where one is breadwinner one is homemaker and leisure time is separate) and joint conjugal roles (share
breadwinning and homemaking tasks and spend leisure time together).
They tried to explain how in the 1950s domestic roles were mostly separated but by 1970s family life has become
more equal- the symmetrical family: (joint conjugal roles, leisure time together, and women in part time work).
Social factors leading to symmetrical family: geographical mobility (further from parents meant new attitudes),
new technology, changes in women positions and attitudes towards women (war and feminism) and higher
standards of living (more money, easier to run house, spare money for leisure).
Feminist sociologists reject this view: Ann Oakley (1974)- 40 interviews with London housewives found men cherry
pick the most pleasurable tasks, Boulton (1983)- fewer than 20% of husbands had a major role in childcare and
Ward and Hetherton (1993)- sextyping, men would only do tasks considered feminine when wives weren’t around.
During Lockdown- women were doing more domestic labour than men.
Domestic Abuse
Any incident of controlling, coercive, threatening or violent behaviour and can be physical, psychological, sexual,
emotional or financial and is often interlinked types of abuse that cause particularly damaging effects on victim.
Domestic Abuse is difficult to measure through official statistics as many cases go unreported and fails to show
frequency, severity, effect or reasons why it happens in the first place.
OS do show that it is widespread and follows social patterns, 1 in 4 women experience it compared to 1 in 14 men
and people that are socially disadvantaged are more likely to be victims.
Radical feminist explanation (1960-1970s): society’s founded on patriarchy; men have controlled social institutions
and used them to oppress women. Marriage and family is the main source of oppression and men continue to
dominate through violence or threat of violence therefore radical change of society is needed to create a gender
equal society. (separatism, political lesbianism and utilising reproductive technology)
Strengths: clear historical evidence social institutions were patriarchal in the past, attitudes still persist and
supported by trend in statistics, limitations: assumes all men homogenous and aggressive, fails to explain female
violence and violence in gay couples, ignores some people more at risk than others.
Material Explanation: Wilson and Pickett ‘the spirit level’: low income, job insecurity, unstable living conditions
increase risk of conflict and violence and lack of money restricts social circles limiting access to support. This could
explain domestic abuse rise during corona virus.
Strengths: shows link between domestic abuse and material and social deprivation, applies to all couples.
Limitations: fails to understand why women are more likely to be victims (gender dynamic) and danger in blaming
society rather than the abuser.
This refers to how couples share their domestic responsibilities.
1950s- Clear gender domains in the home with housework the women’s job and paid work for men.
Talcott Parsons (1955-functionalist) Sex Role Theory-nuclear family is the social norm because it performs two
functions which benefits the members of the family and society:
1. Maintains social order through socialisation and the stabilisation of adult personalities
2. Support the economy as husbands work hard to provide for family
He says these roles are biologically determined with men having the instrumental role: breadwinner, protector,
focused on maintaining relationship with outside world and women having the expressive role: primary
socialisation, emotional needs, focused on maintaining relationships with the family.
Feminists criticised Parsons for arguing gender roles are biological and therefore fixed (deterministic), gender is
socially constructed and girls and boys are socialised into restrictive gender roles from an early age.
March of Progress Theory: argues negative social situation has improves over time.
Wilmott and Young- March of progress intergenerational longitudinal study of w/c families in East London.
He tested hypothesis based on Elizabeth Bott (1957) concepts: segregated conjugal roles (couples have separate
roles where one is breadwinner one is homemaker and leisure time is separate) and joint conjugal roles (share
breadwinning and homemaking tasks and spend leisure time together).
They tried to explain how in the 1950s domestic roles were mostly separated but by 1970s family life has become
more equal- the symmetrical family: (joint conjugal roles, leisure time together, and women in part time work).
Social factors leading to symmetrical family: geographical mobility (further from parents meant new attitudes),
new technology, changes in women positions and attitudes towards women (war and feminism) and higher
standards of living (more money, easier to run house, spare money for leisure).
Feminist sociologists reject this view: Ann Oakley (1974)- 40 interviews with London housewives found men cherry
pick the most pleasurable tasks, Boulton (1983)- fewer than 20% of husbands had a major role in childcare and
Ward and Hetherton (1993)- sextyping, men would only do tasks considered feminine when wives weren’t around.
During Lockdown- women were doing more domestic labour than men.
Domestic Abuse
Any incident of controlling, coercive, threatening or violent behaviour and can be physical, psychological, sexual,
emotional or financial and is often interlinked types of abuse that cause particularly damaging effects on victim.
Domestic Abuse is difficult to measure through official statistics as many cases go unreported and fails to show
frequency, severity, effect or reasons why it happens in the first place.
OS do show that it is widespread and follows social patterns, 1 in 4 women experience it compared to 1 in 14 men
and people that are socially disadvantaged are more likely to be victims.
Radical feminist explanation (1960-1970s): society’s founded on patriarchy; men have controlled social institutions
and used them to oppress women. Marriage and family is the main source of oppression and men continue to
dominate through violence or threat of violence therefore radical change of society is needed to create a gender
equal society. (separatism, political lesbianism and utilising reproductive technology)
Strengths: clear historical evidence social institutions were patriarchal in the past, attitudes still persist and
supported by trend in statistics, limitations: assumes all men homogenous and aggressive, fails to explain female
violence and violence in gay couples, ignores some people more at risk than others.
Material Explanation: Wilson and Pickett ‘the spirit level’: low income, job insecurity, unstable living conditions
increase risk of conflict and violence and lack of money restricts social circles limiting access to support. This could
explain domestic abuse rise during corona virus.
Strengths: shows link between domestic abuse and material and social deprivation, applies to all couples.
Limitations: fails to understand why women are more likely to be victims (gender dynamic) and danger in blaming
society rather than the abuser.
