Sex-typing and prestige ratings of occupations as indices of occupational stereotypes.
In the present study, an ethnically diverse convenience sample (N=295; 56% female) of working adults (47%) and college students (age M=23.7, SD=6.7) rated a list of 25 occupations on a 9-point sex-typing scale, with anchors of 1: mostly associated with men and 9: mostly associated with women. They also rated the status or prestige of these occupations on an 11-point Prestige scale, with anchors of 1: low prestige/status and 11: high prestige/status. Findings were consistent with results reported by Panek, Rush, and Greenawalt in 1977 and O'Connor in 1982. Little has changed: respondents still hold sex-based opinions about occupations. Moreover, occupational titles perceived as mostly associated with men were rated higher in prestige than occupational titles perceived as mostly associated with women. This pattern was found for both high and low prestige jobs. Men and women did not differ in their evaluations of these occupations.
Oswald
Patricia A
PA
Department of Psychology, Iona College, New Rochelle, NY 10801, USA. POSWALD@IONA.EDU
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D012928:Social Desirability; D013240:Stereotyping