Which term describes assigning value to tasks based on gender division within a family?

• A. Stratification
• B. Allocation
• C. Normalization
• D. Valuation

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how value is attached to tasks through gender differences within a family. When tasks are divided and the value or importance of those tasks is determined by whether a woman or a man performs them, a hierarchical arrangement emerges that places some roles higher or lower in prestige, power, and reward. This is the idea of stratification—systematic layering or ranking of groups within a social structure. In the family, gender stratification shows up as unequal valuation of chores, caregiving, and decision-making, reinforcing gender roles and disparities over time.

Allocation focuses on who does what, without necessarily implying any difference in value or status. Normalization refers to making such patterns seem normal or accepted, not the evaluation of tasks themselves. Valuation is about assigning value to tasks but doesn’t inherently convey the broader, structured hierarchy that stratification emphasizes. So the term that best captures assigning value to tasks based on gender division within a family is stratification.