Conjugal Roles and Changing Family Relationships: Oakley, Willmott and Young
Who does what at home, and how has that changed? Learn joint and segregated conjugal roles, the symmetrical family described by Willmott and Young, and the critique offered by Oakley.
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Who does what at home? 🏠
Sociologists study the roles of partners within a couple, called conjugal roles, and how they have changed over time. This module covers joint and segregated conjugal roles, the idea of the symmetrical family described by Willmott and Young, and the critique offered by Oakley.
Words to know 🔑
Four terms run through this topic. Learn them first.
Joint or segregated? ⚖️
Conjugal roles fall into two patterns.
Match the term 🔗
- Conjugal roles
- Joint roles
- Segregated roles
- Symmetrical family
- The roles of partners within a couple
- Partners share tasks and do them together
- Partners have separate, distinct tasks
- A home-centred family with similar, equal contributions
Which roles are shared? 🎯
In which type of conjugal roles do partners share the tasks and do them together?
- Joint roles
- Segregated roles
- The symmetrical family
- Stratified diffusion
Two sociologists 💡
Willmott and Young (1973) argued the family had become symmetrical, with partners contributing in similar and equally important ways, more common in the working class; they also described stratified diffusion, where trends spread from the top of society downwards. Oakley (1982) was more critical, examining the conventional family, meaning a nuclear, legally married family with children, and the strains of conforming to it.
Match the idea 🔀
- Willmott and Young
- Oakley
- Stratified diffusion
- Conventional family
- Described the symmetrical family
- Critiqued the conventional family
- Trends spread from the top of society downwards
- A nuclear, legally married family with children
The symmetrical family ✅
Which TWO of these describe the symmetrical family? Choose all that apply.
- Partners contribute in similar ways
- Contributions are of equal importance
- Partners have completely separate roles
- Only one partner makes all decisions
How roles changed 🪜
An interactive activity.
Complete the sentences 🧩
The roles of partners within a couple are _____ roles. When partners share tasks and do them together, the roles are _____. When partners have separate tasks, the roles are _____. Willmott and Young described the _____ family. Oakley critiqued the _____ family.
Spot the symmetrical family 🖍️
An interactive activity.
Who described it? 👤
Which sociologists described the symmetrical family?
- Willmott and Young
- Oakley
- Parsons
- Murdock
Which household? 🧭
An interactive activity.
Explain the change ✍️
An interactive activity.