Final answer:
Sociologist Talcott Parsons pointed out that wives in modern industrial societies are often expected to perform expressive tasks, providing emotional support and nurturing within the family. This role aligns with functionalist theories that anticipate specific gender roles maintaining a balance in the family structure. Despite changes in women's socio-economic roles, these expressive tasks remain largely associated with women.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sociologist Talcott Parsons stated that in contemporary industrialized societies, the wife assumes the expressive tasks of providing affection and emotional support for the family. This perspective is rooted in the functionalist theory which emphasizes that certain roles within the family unit have evolved to maintain balance and ensure survival. Historically, women were positioned at home, taking care of domestic responsibilities, which were functional due to physical restraints of pregnancy and nursing.
Gender roles have been passed down generations as effective mechanisms for keeping the family system functioning properly. However, the industrial and post-industrial periods witnessed shifts, with women entering the workforce and yet often retaining their domestic roles, including emotional support. Conflict theory suggests that the economic participation of women allows for a redistribution of power within the family structure, challenging the traditional gender roles.
Friedrich Engels and contemporary conflict theorists see the household dynamics as similar to the labor force's owner-worker relationship, with women historically in the proletariat role, gaining potential power only when they earn wages. Nevertheless, even as wage earners, women still might carry most domestic responsibilities. Expressive roles include not just emotional support but also caretaking and maintaining family relationships, crucial for the family's overall functioning and societal perception.