We can do it, but I wouldn't like it: Gender, interests, and occupational perceptions
Date
Authors
Major Professor
Advisor
Committee Member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Altmetrics
Authors
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Is Version Of
Versions
Series
Department
Abstract
The present study sought to investigate whether individuals continue to view occupations as sex-typed and to examine the relationship between gender traits and perceptions of occupations. Participants assigned Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) adjectives to job descriptions representative of Holland's six RIASEC types and also completed measures of vocational interests, gender identity, and attitudes toward women. Chi-square analyses were utilized to determine the extent to which participants assigned the BSRI adjectives to RIASEC types, while property vector fitting was used to examine whether the order predictions of the RIASEC model were met by the assignment of BSRI adjectives. Multivariate analyses of variance and covariance were utilized to evaluate gender differences and differences by condition in perceptions of the masculinity and femininity of RIASEC types and to examine the contributions of vocational interests, gender identity, and attitudes toward women in accounting for gender differences and differences by condition in perceptions of masculinity and femininity of RIASEC types. The results provided evidence that sex-typing of occupations continues to be prevalent. The findings also demonstrated that differences in perceptions of the RIASEC types were not consistent with the past literature on sex differences in interests of the RIASEC types. Implications for career counseling models and practice, limitations of the current study, and future directions are discussed.