the domestic division of labour

Stephen Edgell and Irene Hardill (power and decision making is unequal)

They studied dual earner professional couples. They found that there was an inequality in decision making and power. They found that

Very important decisions e.g. moving home/change of job were made mainly by the male or he would have the final say

Important decisions e.g. children’s schooling, paying bills was decided jointly

Less important but everyday decisions e.g. what to have for tea, decorating were made by the female alone.

This shows an imbalance of power even between professional middle class couples. Edgell said that this was because men usually earned more

Ann Oakley (domestic work is unequal - dual burden)

Argued that symmetry is a myth. Young and Wilmott based their ideas on a question about whether the husband helped out at least once a week. This would include washing up once a week meaning their study could not have measured symmetry.

Oakley found that only about 15% of men took a high level of participation in housework and only 25% in childcare.

She said that since women entered the labour market they now have a dual burden- domestic work and paid work

Duncombe and Marsden (domestic work is unequal)

They added to the idea of the dual burden. They argue that women in addition to domestic work/childcare and paid work, also perform emotion work. This is comforting, reassuring and managing emotions of all family members.

They called this the triple shift. They also say that men are emotionally constipated

Ann Oakley (domestic work is unequal - fathers role in childcare)

She also found that the aspects of childcare a male would be involved in were the nicer, more rewarding aspects. A father’s role was seen as one whereby he was taking interest and would play with children to take them off her hands. Instead mothers were left with more housework

Elizabeth Bott (domestic work is more equal)

Distinguishes between segregated conjugal roles and joint conjugal roles which are roles within marriage.

Segregated conjugal roles are when the couple have separate roles such as a male breadwinner and a female housewife. Leisure is separate as well

Joint conjugal roles are where the couple share tasks such as housework and childcare and spend their leisure time together

Bott takes the march of progress view arguing that roles are becoming more joint equal and shared

Pahl and Vogler (power/decision making is becoming more equal)

They found that there are two types of control over family income:

The allowance system- where men give their wives allowance out of wich she must budget for the family’s needs and keep the surplus for herself

Pooling- is when both partners have access to income and take joint responsibility for expidenture e.g. joint bank account.

Pahl and Vogler found pooling is on the increase and so money management is becoming more equal

Young and Wilmott 1973 (domestic work is becoming more equal)

Take a march of progress view of conjugal roles. In their study of family life in east London in the 1950s they said men were the breadwinners who played little part in home life and spent their leisure time at the pub. Women were full time housewives taking full responsibility for housework and childcare

However they have found that there is a trend away from segregated conjugal roles towards a symmetrical family. Marital roles are not identical but are becoming more shared e.g. women are going to work, men help with housework and childcare and the couple spend leisure time together.

Symmetrical family more common amongst younger couples

Oriel Sullivan (domestic work becoming more equal)

Conducted nationally representative research using the comparative method with data collected in 1975, 1987 and 1997,

She found that over time women are doing a smaller share of domestic tasks and men doing more in all working relationships e.g. even when men work full time employment and women dont

Dunne (domestic work becoming more equal)

His study of same sex couples and their children described their relationship as more equal, viewed housework and childcare in a positive way and gave equal importance to each others careers.

This shows that heterosexual couples are under pressure to conform to deeply ingrained gender roles.

In conclusion is the domestic division of labour equal?

Yes to an extent. Feminism means that it is becoming gradually more equal but it depends on the couple i.e. their choices their wishes and other social factors such as age