a. What is a general definition of the “second shift”? That is, how does Hochschild explain this concept? (1-2 sentences) 1 point
An explanation Arlie Hochschild gives of the second shift that I found interesting was “being on duty at work and coming home to be on duty in the house as well” (Hochschild). Throughout her reading she talked about how this typically lands in the hands of the woman instead of the man.
b. How are women both the villain and victim of the second shift according to Hochschild? (Please give a 2-3 sentence description for each item) 3 pts
Women tend to be the villains in the second shift because they speed everything …show more content…
They think they need a man for protection while also having a different gender ideology which puts them in conflict with themselves. Nancy reinforced because she feared turning into a “doormat” like her mother was so she pushed for her husband to share the work. Another coping mechanism is supermoming. Supermoming is a big way for women to push through and deal with the second shift. They put in long work hours and keep their children up late so they can still spend time with them. They typically don’t try to persuade their husbands to do more at home because they don’t have enough “credits in the marital bank” for that.
e. What are at least two different coping mechanisms men use to deal with the “second shift?” (List and briefly explain each in 2-3 sentences) 2pts
A mechanism Hochschild talked about for men is when they withdraw from their emotions. Her example was when John became angry at his wife Barbara for being unavailable because she is working. He felt guilty because he wanted to be happy for her but his actual feelings were anger and hurt, leading to the two having conflict. Another coping mechanism she mentioned for men was resistance. Ray Judson feared losing control of his wife if she didn’t depend on him economically. Peter Tanagawa feared losing his status as a man in his family and hometown if he couldn’t provide economically for his …show more content…
They include a low religious participation in their profile because many religions are against premarital sex and cohabitation. Those who are cohabiting must then be having premarital sex and thus have a low religious background if they are going against it. Witnessing problem in their parents’ marriages would lead them to possibly move out or want to cohabit because they have a bad view of marriage. A low education level is put in the profile because they assume they aren’t educated in the risks associated with cohabitation. Finally, a low income level is included because it is cheaper to live together.
d. What are two risks they believe can come from cohabiting? That is, what are they worried about? (Please list and be clear enough in detail) 2 points
They are worried those who cohabit will develop certain attitudes and issues which will in turn affect their decision making about marriage, eventually leading to divorce. They are also worried that the experience they get from cohabitation will create problem patterns and behaviors in the relationship. Some examples of behaviors are considering divorce, more chances for abuse, more conflict about money, etc.
2. Kieran Scott: 9 points