Sociology Childhood

Sociologists:

Pahl (1989-1993)

Pahl carried out a study on how couples managed their money and discovered that just over a quarter of couples had a system of money management where by the degree of equality was fair.

Edgell (1980)

Edgell interviewd middle class couples to find who made the decisions in the relationship.He discovered that men had control over the majority of the decision making.

Decisions men made:

- Moving houses

- Finances

- Car

Decisions women made:

- Interior decoration

- Food and other domestic spending

- Children's clothes

Dunne (1999)

Dunne carried out a study on lesbian relationships. Suggests that a fair domestic division of labour can be achieved, However this achievement would be difficult because of the society we live in which places great distinction on masculinity and femeninity.

Parsons 

He came up with the idea thtat couples have instrumental and expressive roles.

The husband usually has an instrumental role, which is the breadwinner role. The wife usually has the expressive role, which is the homemaker role.

Bott (1957)

Identified two ways which household jobs can be shared:

Segregated roles: Distinct separated roles for women and men.

Joint roles: More flexible in that the couple share tasks.

Bott made a link between couples networks of friends and families and how close they are with them to how much domestic labour they do.

Close friendship relationships usually means that the couples will do segregated roles as they are less reliant on their partner to do activites outside of the home.

Loose friendship relationships usually means that a couple will have joint conjugal roles and they will usually do activities outside of their home together.

Willmott and young (1971)

Willmott and Young saw how the increase in the nuclear family would lead to joint conjugal roles being developed.

They made a predicition that equal and shared responsibilities would be the norm for British families in the future.

Oakley (1974)

Men only have to do a few tasks around the house to qualify as having…