When people choose a particular occupation, they presumably make an implicit judgment that they will perform well on a job at some point in the future, typically after extensive education and/or on-the-job experience. Research on learning and skill acquisition has pointed to a power law of practice, where large gains in performance come early in…

The distribution of males and females on a job, occupational classification, and job content were examined as predictors of job sex stereotypes in two studies. Results indicate that the base rate of males and females in the job is the most important predictor of job sextypes. (Author)

A study of 12 emergency, 27 operating, 25 intensive care, and 22 psychiatric nurses in Canada demonstrated that, although gender roles appeared androgynous, the masculine component of nursing was more valued and rewarded. High masculinity was associated with higher pay, high femininity with low experience. Gender roles represented complex…

Tested Gottfredson's (1981) compromise model by comparing the relative importance of sex-type, prestige, and interests under career preference and compromise choice situations using a policy-capturing paradigm with 37 participants. Found no support for Gottfredson's compromise model. (Author/ABL)

A study of 70 pregnant working mothers before and six months after childbirth found that traditional gender-role values and perceived spousal preference influenced their employment intention before giving birth. Employment intention and spouse's income influenced return to employment after childbirth. (SK)

Expressed vocational choices were more predictive of employment status four years after high school graduation for males than were scores on either the Vocational Preference Inventory or the Kuder Preference Record--Vocational. Predictions for males were more accurate than for females on all measures. (Author)

Tested eight hypotheses concerning relationships between socioeconomic status, sex, work importance, and career maturity with high school students (N=382). Results indicated that work salience (but not socioeconomic status--and sex only slightly) is directly related to career maturity. (LLL)

A longitudinal study of 111 women studied as college seniors in 1967 and again as adults in 1981 examined subjects' pursuit, attainment, and experiences of careers in college and noncollege teaching and in entrepreneurial business. Findings indicated that women's attainment of careers in these areas could be predicted from the kinds of…

Recruiters (N=24) interviewed 91 students to explore factors recruiters use to assess applicants' interviewing skills and suitability for hire. Results indicated that recruiters relied on impressionistic rather than concrete information (e.g., academic achievement and work experience) in making employment recommendations. (NRB)

Compared female business owners, managers, and secretaries to examine predictors of occupational choice, satisfaction, and success in the self-employment of women. Results showed owners rated higher than secretaries in achievement motivation, locus of control, and sex role, while owners and managers were similar except in parental models. (JAC)

Examined employees' reasons for refusing seniority-based promotions. Age, female sex, and number of employees in the department related positively to promotion refusal, while years of education and pay showed a negative relationship. Suggests potential explanations relate to stress avoidance, perceived inabilities, and equity theory. (Author)

High achievement motivation and career choice were related to perceived support from the school and community. Psychological variables had little effect. Findings support a social learning theory of achievement. (JAC)

College students who made choices of major and occupation were classified according to Holland categories. Findings support the validity of the Holland typology, but also suggest that separate personality descriptions within each category should be provided for each sex. (Author)

Explored the influence of hemispheric specialization on cognitive processes in a sample of 119 Israeli economics students and 65 creative arts students who took a test battery designed to assess hemispheric dominance. Significant differences between the groups were found, suggesting implications for matching individual abilities with job demands.…

Examined the amount of support, encouragement, and discouragement 470 women received from others when considering enrolling in a male-traditional vocational course. Results revealed nontraditionals consistently received more support and encouragement than traditionals. Nontraditionals and those who considered the male-dominated program received…