Conjugal roles
- Conjugal roles are the roles of partners in a relationship, especially in housework, childcare and paid work.
- Segregated conjugal roles: partners have separate roles, such as a male breadwinner and a female homemaker.
- Joint conjugal roles: partners share tasks and decisions.
The symmetrical family debate
- Young and Willmott (1973) argued that families were becoming more symmetrical: partners share roles more equally, as more women work and men help more at home. This is a "march of progress" view.
- Oakley (1974) disagreed. Her study of housewives found that few men did significant housework or childcare, and that the housewife role was still seen as women's.
Continuing inequality
- Many women face a dual burden (paid work plus most housework) or a triple shift (adding emotional work).
- Research on decision-making and money often finds men still have more control over major decisions.
- Domestic abuse is a serious issue, mostly affecting women, and shows the family can be a place of inequality and harm.
Key terms
- Conjugal roles
- The roles of partners in a relationship.
- Segregated conjugal roles
- Separate roles for partners.
- Joint conjugal roles
- Shared roles and decisions.
- Symmetrical family
- A family where partners share roles more equally.
- Dual burden
- Women doing paid work and most housework.
- Triple shift
- Paid work, housework and emotional work.
- Breadwinner
- The main earner in a household.