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The self‐efficacy expectations and occupational preferences of females and males
Author(s) -
CLEMENT SARAH
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of occupational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.257
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 2044-8325
pISSN - 0305-8107
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8325.1987.tb00258.x
Subject(s) - psychology , self efficacy , preference , socialization , social psychology , developmental psychology , microeconomics , economics
Hackett & Betz (1981) proposed that Bandura's (1977) theory of self‐efficacy can provide a useful conceptual framework in which to view the occupational preferences of women. They suggested that, largely due to socialization experiences, women have low self‐efficacy expectations in relation to traditionally male occupations, and that this may contribute to women's continued underrepresentation in these occupations. A total of 121 current and prospective university students rated their self‐efficacy for, their liking of, and the extent to which they had considered entering, various traditionally male and traditionally female occupations. The females displayed lower self‐efficacy than the males for all but one of the traditionally male occupations. The males did not lack self‐efficacy in relation to the majority of the traditionally female occupations. However, contrary to expectations, women's lower self‐efficacy did not deter them from considering entering traditionally male occupations. The implications of these findings are discussed and some of the assumptions underlying the self‐efficacy theory of women's occupational preference are questioned.