What did Young and Willmott mean by the symmetrical family?

What did Young and Willmott mean by the symmetrical family?

The symmetrical family is where a family divides all responsibilities equally between partners. This was created and theorised by Willmott and Young (1970) as one of the phases the modern family has shifted into.

What are the 3 characteristics of symmetrical family?

What are the characteristics of the Symmetrical Family? – Modern Nuclear Family has less gendered segregation, both men and women are in employment and contributing to domestic chores. – Family now unit of consumption. – Families smaller as remain dependent rather than financial assets.

What perspective is young Willmott?

– Young and Willmott predicted the rise of the Stage 4 family whereby using their ‘Principle of Stratified Diffusion’ theory (lifestyles of those who are at the top of the social ladder are gradually adopted by those at the bottom).

Who identified the symmetrical family?

Peter Willmott and Michael Young carried out ground-breaking research into family life in the UK over a long period of time. One concept they developed, the subject of a 1973 book, was the symmetrical family.

Is the symmetrical family a myth?

This essay will claim that, although relations in the family may have change the ‘new man’ and symmetrical family are nothing but an exaggerated myth. This suggests that the family has evolved from having gender-segregated roles to joint-conjugal roles.

How did living standards impact on the symmetrical family?

Also the men are often the major earners in a household, leading to more authority. Both of these factors lead to an unequal distribution of power and authority. The effects of housework and childcare on women’s careers – These duties within the family still hold the women back from progressing in her career.

Why are symmetrical families becoming more common?

Reasons for these changes: Improved living standards at home have encouraged partners to become more home-centred, improving the relationship at home. Due to decrease in extended families there is less pressure on partners to retain traditional roles. Improved rights and status of women gains more respect.

What did Willmott and Young argue?

Rather than the traditional nuclear family described by Parsons where men and women had very separate roles in the family (segregated gender roles) Willmott and Young argued that in modern families men and women both did paid work and both did work around the house, including childcare.

What are the roles of husband and wife in a symmetrical family?

Willmott and Young in their study The Symmetrical Family (1973) claimed that the extended family was characterised by segregated conjugal roles, i.e. husbands went out to work whilst wives were exclusively responsible for housework and child-care. Moreover, husbands and wives spent leisure time apart.

Are conjugal roles equal sociology?

The study by Young and Willmott shows that conjugal roles are now becoming more and more parallel. Further evidence of a movement towards greater equality in domestic labour is by Gershuny (1992). He analysed data from 1974 to 1978. It showed the gradual increase in the amount of household chores performed by men.

What are the four main reasons for the rise of the symmetrical family?

Reasons for these changes:

• Improved living standards at home have encouraged partners to become more home-centred, improving the relationship at home.
• Due to decrease in extended families there is less pressure on partners to retain traditional roles.
• Improved rights and status of women gains more respect.

What are the roles of the husband and wife in a symmetrical family?

What are Willmott and young’s ideas about family life?

Willmott and Young developed their ideas about family life, following on from the functionalist ideas of sociologists like Talcott Parsons. From their research (much of it based on social surveys) of families in East London, they developed an idea of the family developing through a number of stages through history: a march of progress.

Who were Peter Willmott and Michael Young?

Peter Willmott and Michael Young carried out ground-breaking research into family life in the UK over a long period of time. One concept they developed, the subject of a 1973 book, was the symmetrical family. Willmott and Young developed their ideas about family life, following on from the functionalist ideas of sociologists like Talcott Parsons.

What is a symmetrical family?

The symmetrical family is where a family divides all responsibilities equally between partners. This was created and theorised by Willmott and Young (1970) as one of the phases the modern family has shifted into. For example; men and women will share the household responsibilities equally to ensure the ‘triple shift’ is not conducted by one person.

What did young and Willmott predict about the stage 4 family?

– Young and Willmott predicted the rise of the Stage 4 family whereby using their ‘Principle of Stratified Diffusion’ theory (lifestyles of those who are at the top of the social ladder are gradually adopted by those at the bottom).