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Medical Handmaidens' Changing Self‐image
Author(s) -
Westbrook Mary T.,
Nordholm Lena A.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
australian journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.417
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1839-4655
pISSN - 0157-6321
DOI - 10.1002/j.1839-4655.1987.tb00843.x
Subject(s) - androgyny , egalitarianism , masculinity , project commissioning , self image , perception , publishing , psychology , social psychology , sociology , gender studies , political science , politics , law , neuroscience
To examine whether recent social changes were associated with changes in women's self perceptions, the ambitions and self‐concepts of incoming female students in three health professions were surveyed in 1976 and 1986. In 1986 students were more ambitious to achieve professional recognition and leadership, more committed to their careers (even when their children were young), wanted fewer children, attached more importance to enjoying life and less to doing good in society, and had more egalitarian attitudes toward women's roles in society. In 1986, students described their self‐concepts in more masculine, androgynous and socially desirable terms. Greater career commitment was associated with higher levels of egalitarianism, masculinity and androgyny.