9699 · 4.1
Gender equality and experiences of family life flashcards
Revision flashcards for Cambridge 9699 Gender equality and experiences of family life (syllabus 4.1). Flip, recall, then mark a real past-paper question.
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Instrumental role?
Parsons — male breadwinner role in family.
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Expressive role?
Parsons — female nurturing/household role.
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Symmetrical family?
Willmott & Young — men and women share leisure and some tasks.
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Oakley's critique?
Only 15% of husbands had high participation in housework — inequality persists.
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Dual burden / triple shift?
Paid work + housework + emotional care (Hochschild).
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Domestic violence stats?
Most victims women — feminist link to patriarchal power in home.
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What is the 'symmetrical family'?
A concept by Young and Willmott (1973) describing a family with joint (not segregated) conjugal roles. Spouses share domestic tasks, childcare, decision-making, and leisure time, representing a 'march of progress' towards equality.
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Define the 'triple shift'.
A concept from Duncombe and Marsden (1995). It argues that women in modern families are often required to perform three roles: paid work, domestic work (housework and childcare), and emotion work (managing the family's emotional well-being).
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What did Stephen Edgell's (1980) study on decision-making find?
He found an unequal hierarchy. Men made 'very important' decisions (finance, jobs). 'Important' decisions (holidays, education) were often joint. Women made 'less important' decisions (food, clothes). This shows power remains unequal.
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Explain Pahl and Vogler's 'pooling' and 'allowance' systems.
These are two systems of managing family income. The 'allowance system' involves the man giving his wife a set budget, retaining surplus and power. 'Pooling' involves joint access to income, but Pahl and Vogler found men often still had more influence over major spending.
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What is Ann Oakley's main criticism of the symmetrical family?
Oakley (1974) argued it was a myth. Her research showed women still did the vast majority of housework and saw it as their responsibility. Men's 'help' was minimal, irregular, and focused on enjoyable tasks, not a true sign of symmetry or equality.