Couples - The domestic division of labour

Couples - The domestic division of labour

1. Joint and segregated conjugal roles

   • Elizabeth Bott (1957): Two types of conjugal roles.
     • Segregated conjugal roles, couples have separate roles: breadwinner and homemaker
     • Joint conjugal roles, couples share roles.
   • Young and Wilmott (1950s): Found that WC families in Bethnal Green had segregated conjugal roles.
     • Males not involved with house roles. They spend time with other male friends and females would do house work and help other female relatives.

2. Parsons (1955): instrumental and expressive roles

   • Crisicism
     • Young and Willmott (1962): Men are now doing more domestic tasks and women are becoming wage earners.
     • Feminist sociologists: Division of labour is not natural, it only benefits men.
   • Division of labour is based on biological differences. The roles for men and women are 'natural'.
   • Expressive roles are carried out by wives. They focus on the primary socialisation of the children & meeting family's emotional needs. HOMEMAKER.
   • Instrumental roles are carried out by husbands. They focus in working so that they can provide for the family financially. BREADWINNER.

3. The symmetrical family

   • Young and Wilmott (1973): Has a 'march of progress' view on the history of the family.
     • -Women now go out to work. -Men now help with housework and childcare. -Couples now spend more time together than separately.
   • Roles carried out by husbands and wives are a lot more similar.

4. Oakley: the rise of the housewife role

5. A feminist view of housework