Revision timed Essay – Conjugal Roles
Roles Becoming Equal
Willmott and Young – The Symmetrical Family
They argue that the significant change is a result of the breakdown of the
extended family.
Family Structure Extended Nuclear
Work Roles Segregated Symmetrical
Division of Domestic Clearly divided Greater equality of
Tasks according to gender contribution
Leisure Activities Men in Public Sphere Leisure is now more
Women in Private family and home
Sphere centred
The change in gender roles started with the middle classes and spread to
the working classes – stratified diffusion
Jonathan Gershuny
His study of changes in the division of domestic labour supports Young
and Willmott theory of a symmetrical family.
Gershuny studied men and women’s roles through detailed dairies kept by
the participants on a day-to-day and weekly basis.
He found that there was a clear trend towards men carrying out more
domestic activities than in previous years.
However when women total their working hours, including domestic
activities, it still worked out to be greater than the number of hours men
did. Therefore undermining the notion that there has been a significant
shift towards equality between men and women.
Burghes
He found that fathers are taking an increasingly active role in the
emotional development of their children. One reason for this was argue by
Beck.
, Beck
Notes that in the post-modern age, fathers can no longer rely on jobs to
provide a sense of identity and fulfilment, so they look to their children to
give them a sense of identity and purpose.
However he does state that it is important not to exaggerate their role in
childcare.
Stephen Edgell
Edgell’s study cast doubt and supports criticisms of Young and
Willmott’s idea that it was the middle class couples who are responsible
for the changes.
Edgell studied middle class couples he interviewed both husbands and
wives from a sample of 38 professional couples.
Edgell asked them about who made decisions and took into account how
frequently they were made and their importance.
He found that women controlled decision-making in a number of areas,
e.g. food purchases, children’s clothing and household decoration, these
decisions were not seen as important. Husbands had the main say in what
were regarded as serious decisions like moving house and buying
expensive items such as cars etc.
Jan Pahl
Jan Pahl’s study Money and Marriage examines the control of finances in
marriage.
Pahl found a variety of patterns ranging from total control by the
husbands to arrangements of a joint bank account.
In many families women have as much if not more control than men.
Pahl argues that while there are a variety of financial arrangements, in
most cases men are the main beneficiaries.
Indicates Slight Change but Still Not Equal
A Legal and General Survey
A Legal and General survey in April 2000 found that full time working
mothers spent 56 hours a week on housework and childcare compared
with men who spend 31 hours a week.
Roles Becoming Equal
Willmott and Young – The Symmetrical Family
They argue that the significant change is a result of the breakdown of the
extended family.
Family Structure Extended Nuclear
Work Roles Segregated Symmetrical
Division of Domestic Clearly divided Greater equality of
Tasks according to gender contribution
Leisure Activities Men in Public Sphere Leisure is now more
Women in Private family and home
Sphere centred
The change in gender roles started with the middle classes and spread to
the working classes – stratified diffusion
Jonathan Gershuny
His study of changes in the division of domestic labour supports Young
and Willmott theory of a symmetrical family.
Gershuny studied men and women’s roles through detailed dairies kept by
the participants on a day-to-day and weekly basis.
He found that there was a clear trend towards men carrying out more
domestic activities than in previous years.
However when women total their working hours, including domestic
activities, it still worked out to be greater than the number of hours men
did. Therefore undermining the notion that there has been a significant
shift towards equality between men and women.
Burghes
He found that fathers are taking an increasingly active role in the
emotional development of their children. One reason for this was argue by
Beck.
, Beck
Notes that in the post-modern age, fathers can no longer rely on jobs to
provide a sense of identity and fulfilment, so they look to their children to
give them a sense of identity and purpose.
However he does state that it is important not to exaggerate their role in
childcare.
Stephen Edgell
Edgell’s study cast doubt and supports criticisms of Young and
Willmott’s idea that it was the middle class couples who are responsible
for the changes.
Edgell studied middle class couples he interviewed both husbands and
wives from a sample of 38 professional couples.
Edgell asked them about who made decisions and took into account how
frequently they were made and their importance.
He found that women controlled decision-making in a number of areas,
e.g. food purchases, children’s clothing and household decoration, these
decisions were not seen as important. Husbands had the main say in what
were regarded as serious decisions like moving house and buying
expensive items such as cars etc.
Jan Pahl
Jan Pahl’s study Money and Marriage examines the control of finances in
marriage.
Pahl found a variety of patterns ranging from total control by the
husbands to arrangements of a joint bank account.
In many families women have as much if not more control than men.
Pahl argues that while there are a variety of financial arrangements, in
most cases men are the main beneficiaries.
Indicates Slight Change but Still Not Equal
A Legal and General Survey
A Legal and General survey in April 2000 found that full time working
mothers spent 56 hours a week on housework and childcare compared
with men who spend 31 hours a week.
