Explaining sex differences in managerial career satisfier preferences: the role of gender self-schema.
Using survey data from 400 managers, the authors examined whether gender self-schema would explain sex differences in preferences for status-based and socioemotional career satisfiers. Female gender self-schema, represented by femininity and family role salience, completely mediated the relationship between managers' sex and preferences for socioemotional career satisfiers. However, male gender self-schema, represented by masculinity and career role salience, did not mediate the relationship between managers' sex and preferences for status-based career satisfiers. As expected, male managers regarded status-based career satisfiers as more important and socioemotional career satisfiers as less important than female managers did. The proposed conceptualization of male and female gender self-schemas, which was supported by the data, enhances understanding of adult self-schema and work-related attitudes and behavior.
College of Business Administration, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115-5000, USA. k.eddleston@neu.edu
Kimberly A
KA
Eddleston
John F
JF
Veiga
Gary N
GN
Powell
D002321:Career Choice; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004651:Employment / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D010559:Personnel Management; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires