AS Sociology - Families/ Housholds - sociologists

Rise in symmetrical family, men are helping more with the housework

Wilmott and Young methodology flawed, results not truly representative

Gender roles will always mean inequality

Changing social attitudes have resulted in more equality in the household

If domestic labour were paid capitalist profits would decrease significantly

Plurality of family structures: Cohort, Class, Culture, Organisational, Life Course

Nuclear Family still maintains extended ties, reserved for times of crisis - 'Partially isolated nuclear family'

Family structures change with areas e.g. lone parent inner city/ Nuclear family middle class areas

Technology has created new family structures e.g. fertility treatment - 1991 Arlette Schweitzer surrogate for daughter's child, both mother and grandmother

Negotiated family, structures adapt around individual needs

Morality a matter of personal choice, religion and tradition less influential

No joint conjugal roles found among sample families, however, rise in childcare focus among both husbands and wives

2/3 of working mothers also do the cooking and cleaning (Oakley's 'double burden')

Working couples pool resource yet husband controls significant spending choices

Running 'economy of emotion' in household, women are responsible to regulate

Triple shift (emotional, domestic and paid work)

Lesbian relationships more egalitarian than heterosexual counterparts

Police do not usually record domestic violence reports, most women return to abusive partner due to financial dependency/ social stigmatism

Studied 250 societies, found nuclear family most prominent. Purpose of family: Sexual stability and control, Reproduction of society's members, socialisation of new generation, shared resources for financial stability

Childhood and Adulthood distinction found in separateness. Status difference through laws and rights

'Centuries of Childhood' - by studying paintings, concluded childhood only existed for the past 300 years or so. Medieval children 'adults' as soon as physically able.

Children are oppressed through adult control of space, time and body

Difference between childhood and adulthood diminished by technological advances

'Toxic childhood' - games, fast-food, less contact with parents etc. contributing to stunted physical and emotional child development

age patriarchy - world run by adults, children oppressed

Childhood a period most wish to escape

Children of dual heritage more likely to go into care

Asian parents stricter on daughters than sons

Parents give more freedom to boys than to girls

Family offers the proletariate a sense of power, vent status frustration on the family, keeps the proletariat from fighting against capitalism

Inheritance exists to protect bourgeoisie wealth, maintained through use of 'family'

G.P. Murdock's study failed to consider alternative family structures and ignores the flaws of the nuclear family

Women serve an 'expressive' (emotional) role whilst men are naturally more inclined to the 'instrumental' role (breadwinner). Nuclear family is best structure for society today.

Despite growing diversity Nuclear family most prominent today and is destined to become more egalitarian

Men take out frustration on women when capitalism is the source of their problems.

Women do most of the work, men take most of the benefit

Welfare benefits have created a 'culture of dependency'

Dominant instutions e.g. education mask the ruling class ideology behind their liberating qualities. I.e. people are indoctrinated with no perception of ruling class motives

Nuclear family supports patriarchal abuse, supported by lack of state intervention - there exists a 'culture' that men have the 'right' to 'discipline' wives not fulfilling their 'duties'

Women are isolated in the nuclear family, when problems occur, they are under the assumption it is their fault. Family is a private institution which isolates people from the external. (Anti-Social family)

Rise in same-sex relationships due to changing social attitudes since the 80s

80% of sampled female doctors willing to give up work in favour of childcare (Parsons Expressive role?)

Men do more housework during periods of unemployment - crisis of masculinity?

Family can lead to mental illness e.g. depression

One good parent is better than two unstable parents

Lone parent children perform less well at school, more likely to be delinquents

Parents make children obedient, allowing for capitalist manipulation

Unemployed men do more work than when they were employed

By observing school behaviour e.g. nursery rhymes etc. Opie comes to the conclusion that the concept of childhood has remained relatively unchanged despite technological changes.