©SIRJOEL EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/3/2024 10:54 PM
FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS (AQA
Alevel Sociology) Exam Questions With
100% Verified Answers
COUPLES (families and households)
What is the *instrumental* role & who plays this? - answer✔The instrumental role is geared
towards achieving success at work in order to provide for the family. This role is played by the
husband
What is the *expressive* role & who plays this? - answer✔The expressive role is geared towards
primary socialisation of the children and meeting the emotional needs of the family. This role is
played by the wife
What does Parsons argue that his view of the division of labour is based on? -
answer✔Biological differences between men and women (women 'naturally' suited to the
nurturing role and men to the provider)
, ©SIRJOEL EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/3/2024 10:54 PM
What are the *criticisms* of Parsons' view? - answer✔- Young and Willmott (1962) argue that
men are now taking greater responsibility for domestic tasks and more women are becoming
wage earners
- Feminists reject Parsons' view that the division of labour is natural & they argue that is only
benefits men
What is meant by *segregated* conjugal roles? - answer✔Where the couple have separate roles:
a male breadwinner and a female homemaker - as in Parsons' view. Their leisure activities also
tend to be separate
What is meant by *joint* conjugal roles? - answer✔Where the couple share tasks such as
housework and childcare and spend their leisure time together
What did Young and Willmott find in their study of families in Bethnal Green in the 1950s? -
answer✔- That men were the breadwinners who played little part in home life and spent their
leisure time with workmates in pubs.
- Women were full-time housewives with sole responsibility for housework and childcare,
helped by their female relatives.
- The limited leisure time women had was also spent with female kin
What view do Young and Willmott take of the family? - answer✔March of Progress - they see
the family as gradually improving for all its members, becoming more equal and democratic.
, ©SIRJOEL EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/3/2024 10:54 PM
They argue that there has been a long-term trend away from segregated conjugal roles and
towards joint conjugal roles and the 'symmetrical family'
What are the features of a symmetrical family? - answer✔- Women go out to work, although this
may be part-time rather than full-time
- Men now help with housework and childcare
- Couples now spend their leisure time together
What do Young and Willmott see as reasons for the rise in the symmetrical family? - answer✔-
Changing social position of women
- Geographical mobility (living away from where you grew up)
- New technology (labour-saving devices)
- Higher standards of living
What view to Feminist sociologists take on the family? - answer✔- They reject the 'march of
progress' view
- They argue that little has changed: men and women remain unequal within the family &
women still do most of the housework
What do Feminists blame for the segregated conjugal roles within the family? - answer✔They
see the inequality as stemming from the fact that the family and society are patriarchal - women
occupy a subordinate and dependent role within the family and wider society
, ©SIRJOEL EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/3/2024 10:54 PM
What did Ann Oakley (1974) find in her own study of the symmetry in families? - answer✔-
Only 15% of husbands had a high level of participation in housework
- Only 25% had a high level of participation in childcare
What is happening within families for those who follow a *'march of progress'* view? -
answer✔Men are becoming more involved in housework and childcare, just as women are
becoming more involved in paid work outside the home
What did the BSA survey in 2013 find in relation to changing attitudes regarding conjugal roles?
- answer✔- A fall in the number of people who think it is the man's job to earn money
- A fall in the number of people who think it is the women's job to look after the home and the
family
What is the Feminist view of more women entering paid employment and the impact of this on
the division of labour? - answer✔- Reject that women going into paid employment has led to
greater equality
- Women now carry a dual burden
What does Arlie Russell Hochschild (2013) mean by *'emotion work'*? - answer✔Being
responsible for managing the emotions and feelings of family members whilst also controlling
their own
11/3/2024 10:54 PM
FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS (AQA
Alevel Sociology) Exam Questions With
100% Verified Answers
COUPLES (families and households)
What is the *instrumental* role & who plays this? - answer✔The instrumental role is geared
towards achieving success at work in order to provide for the family. This role is played by the
husband
What is the *expressive* role & who plays this? - answer✔The expressive role is geared towards
primary socialisation of the children and meeting the emotional needs of the family. This role is
played by the wife
What does Parsons argue that his view of the division of labour is based on? -
answer✔Biological differences between men and women (women 'naturally' suited to the
nurturing role and men to the provider)
, ©SIRJOEL EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/3/2024 10:54 PM
What are the *criticisms* of Parsons' view? - answer✔- Young and Willmott (1962) argue that
men are now taking greater responsibility for domestic tasks and more women are becoming
wage earners
- Feminists reject Parsons' view that the division of labour is natural & they argue that is only
benefits men
What is meant by *segregated* conjugal roles? - answer✔Where the couple have separate roles:
a male breadwinner and a female homemaker - as in Parsons' view. Their leisure activities also
tend to be separate
What is meant by *joint* conjugal roles? - answer✔Where the couple share tasks such as
housework and childcare and spend their leisure time together
What did Young and Willmott find in their study of families in Bethnal Green in the 1950s? -
answer✔- That men were the breadwinners who played little part in home life and spent their
leisure time with workmates in pubs.
- Women were full-time housewives with sole responsibility for housework and childcare,
helped by their female relatives.
- The limited leisure time women had was also spent with female kin
What view do Young and Willmott take of the family? - answer✔March of Progress - they see
the family as gradually improving for all its members, becoming more equal and democratic.
, ©SIRJOEL EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/3/2024 10:54 PM
They argue that there has been a long-term trend away from segregated conjugal roles and
towards joint conjugal roles and the 'symmetrical family'
What are the features of a symmetrical family? - answer✔- Women go out to work, although this
may be part-time rather than full-time
- Men now help with housework and childcare
- Couples now spend their leisure time together
What do Young and Willmott see as reasons for the rise in the symmetrical family? - answer✔-
Changing social position of women
- Geographical mobility (living away from where you grew up)
- New technology (labour-saving devices)
- Higher standards of living
What view to Feminist sociologists take on the family? - answer✔- They reject the 'march of
progress' view
- They argue that little has changed: men and women remain unequal within the family &
women still do most of the housework
What do Feminists blame for the segregated conjugal roles within the family? - answer✔They
see the inequality as stemming from the fact that the family and society are patriarchal - women
occupy a subordinate and dependent role within the family and wider society
, ©SIRJOEL EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/3/2024 10:54 PM
What did Ann Oakley (1974) find in her own study of the symmetry in families? - answer✔-
Only 15% of husbands had a high level of participation in housework
- Only 25% had a high level of participation in childcare
What is happening within families for those who follow a *'march of progress'* view? -
answer✔Men are becoming more involved in housework and childcare, just as women are
becoming more involved in paid work outside the home
What did the BSA survey in 2013 find in relation to changing attitudes regarding conjugal roles?
- answer✔- A fall in the number of people who think it is the man's job to earn money
- A fall in the number of people who think it is the women's job to look after the home and the
family
What is the Feminist view of more women entering paid employment and the impact of this on
the division of labour? - answer✔- Reject that women going into paid employment has led to
greater equality
- Women now carry a dual burden
What does Arlie Russell Hochschild (2013) mean by *'emotion work'*? - answer✔Being
responsible for managing the emotions and feelings of family members whilst also controlling
their own
