The author compares the work role centrality of married working women and men and the factors related to it. The factors of socialization, status, status inconsistency, and work values as well as job satisfaction are examined. Although in the aggregate women are found to be less work-centered than men, further specification indicates that this is true mainly in the intermediate socioeconomic status (SES) categories, but not in others. The author proposes that this is related to the greater status inconsistency that women experience in these SES categories, and to their dual role as wives and mothers and employed workers. For women only, country of origin is of relevance to work role centrality (WRC), suggesting the importance of socialization. A combined model of status, work values, and job satisfaction explains WRC best for men, whereas status, socialization, and job satisfaction explains it best for women.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bar-Yossef, R.
, Bloom, A., & Levy, T. (1978). Role ideology of young Israeli women. Jerusalem: Hebrew University, Work Research Institute (Hebrew).
2.
Beutell, N. J.
, & Greenhaus, J. H. (1982). Interrole conflict among married women: The influence of husband and wife characteristics on conflict and coping behavior. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 21, 99-110.
3.
Dressler, W. W.
(1988). Social consistency and psychological distress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 29, 79-91.
4.
Dubin, R.
, Hedley, R. A., & Taveggia, T. C. (1976). Attachment to work. In R. Dubin (Ed.), Handbook of work organization and society. Chicago: Rand McNally.
5.
Efroni, L.
(1990). Promotions and salaries of women in the public services in Israel. Jerusalem: Prime Minister's Office, The Advisor on the Status of Women (Hebrew).
6.
Hall, F. S.
, & Hall, D. T. (1979). The two career couple. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
7.
Herzog, A. R.
(1982). High school seniors occupational plans and values—Trends in sex differences 1976 through 1980. Sociology of Education, 55, 1-13.
8.
Hofstede, G.
(1980). Culture's consequences. London: Sage.
9.
Holohan, C. K.
, & Gilbert, L. A. (1979). Conflict between major life roles: Women and men in dual career couples. Human Relations, 32, 451-467.
10.
Kanter, R. M.
(1977). Men and women of the corporation. New York: Basic Books.
11.
Kaufman, D.
, & Fetters, M. L. (1980). Work motivation and job values professional men and women: A new accounting. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 17, 251-262.
12.
Kovach, K. A.
(1987, September/October). What motivates employees? Workers and supervisors give different answers. Business Horizons, pp. 58-65.
13.
Lawler, E. E.
, & Hall, D. (1970). Relationships of job characteristics, to job involvement, satisfaction, and intrinsic motivation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 54, 305-312.
14.
Lindsay, P.
, & Knox, W. E. (1984). Continuity and change in work values among young adults: A longitudinal study. American Journal of Sociology, 89, 918-931.
15.
Lewin-Epstein, N.
, & Stier, H. (1987). Labor market structure, gender, and socio-economic inequality. Israel Social Science Research, 51, 107-120.
16.
Lorence, J.
(1987a). A test of “gender” and “job” models of sex differences in job involvement. Social Forces, 66, 121-142.
17.
Lorence, J.
(1987b). Age differences in job involvement. Work and Occupations, 14, 514-532.
18.
Lorence, J.
, & Mortimer, J. T. (1981). Work experience and work involvement. Sociology of Work and Occupations, 8, 297-326.
19.
Mannheim, B.
(1975). A comparative study of work centrality, job rewards and satisfaction — Occupational groups in Israel. Sociology of Work and Occupations, 2, 79-102.
20.
Mannheim, B.
(1983). Male and female industrial workers: Job satisfaction, work role centrality and work place preference. Work and Occupations, 10, 413-436.
21.
Mannheim, B.
(1988). Social background, schooling and parental job attitudes as related to adolescents' work values. Youth & Society, 19, 269-293.
22.
Mannheim, B.
, & Cohen, A. (1978). Multivariate analysis of factors affecting work centrality of occupational categories. Human Relations, 31, 525-553.
23.
Mannheim, B.
, & Dubin, R. (1986). Work role centrality of industrial workers as related to organizational conditions, task autonomy, managerial orientations and personal characteristics. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 7, 107-124.
24.
Mannheim, B.
, & Rein, J. (1981). Work centrality of different age groups and the wish to discontinue work. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 13, 221-232.
25.
Mannheim, B.
, & Schiffrin, M. (1984). Family structure, job characteristics, rewards and strains as related to work role centrality of employed and self-employed professional women with children. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 5, 83-101.
26.
Miller, J.
, Schooler, C., Kohn, M. L., & Miller, K. A. (1979). Women and work: The psychological effects of occupational conditions. American Journal of Sociology, 85, 66-94.
27.
Mortimer, J. T.
, & Lorence, J. (1979). Work experience and occupational value socialization: A longitudinal study. American Journal of Sociology, 84, 1361-1385.
28.
MOW International Team
. (1987). The meaning of working. London: Academic Press.
29.
Neil, C. C.
, & Snizek, W. E. (1988). Gender as a moderator of job satisfaction: A multivariate assessment. Work and Occupations, 15, 201-219.
30.
Nogradi, G. S.
(1982). Perceived differences in job and motivational conditions between female and male employees. International Journal of Women's Studies, 5, 423-434.
31.
Parker, S.
, Kleiner, R. J., & Taylor, J. (1960). Level of aspiration and mental disorder: A research proposal. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 84, 878-886.
32.
Pittman, J. F.
, & Orthner, D. K. (1988). Gender differences in the prediction of job commitment. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 3, 227-248.
33.
Powell, G. N.
, & Posner, B. Z. (1989). Commitment to career versus family/home life: Effects of sex, sex-role identity, and family status. Psychological Reports, 64, 695-698.
34.
Rabinowitz, S.
(1981). Towards a developmental model of job involvement. International Review of Applied Psychology, 30, 31-50.
35.
Rabinowitz, S.
, & Hall, D. T. (1977). Organizational research on job involvement. Psychological Bulletin, 84, 265-288.
36.
Rabinowitz, S.
, Hall, D. T., & Goodale, J. G. (1977). Job scope and individual differences as predictors of job involvement: Independent or interactive. Academy of Management Journal, 20, 273-281.
37.
Rhodes, S. R.
(1983). Age-related differences in work attitudes and behavior: A review and conceptual analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 93, 328-367.
38.
Ritzer, G.
(1972). Man and his work: Conflict and change. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
39.
Saal, F. E.
(1978). Job involvement: A multivariate approach. Journal of Applied Psychology, 63, 53-61.
40.
Samuel, J.
, & Lewin-Epstein, N. (1979). The occupational situs as predictor of work values. American Journal of Sociology, 85, 559-572.
41.
Sekaran, U.
, & Mowday, R. T. (1981). A cross-cultural analysis of the influence of individual and job characteristics on job involvement. International Review of Applied Psychology, 30, 51-64.
42.
Semyonov, M.
, & Kraus, V. (1983). Gender, ethnicity and income inequality: The Israeli experience. International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 24, 258-272.
43.
Semyonov, M.
, & Lewin-Epstein, N. (1991). Suburban labor-markets, urban labor markets and gender inequality in earnings. Sociological Quarterly, 32, 611-620.
44.
Staats, S.
(1981). Work values inventory scores from 1970 to 1980. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 53, 113-114.
45.
Taylor, J. C.
, & Bowers, D. G. (1972). Survey of organizations. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan.
46.
Terborg, J. R.
(1977). Women in management: A research review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 62, 649-664.
47.
Tyree, A.
(1981). Socio-economic status in Israeli society. Megamot, 27, 7-21 (Hebrew).
48.
Voydanoff, P.
(1980). Perceived job characteristics and job satisfaction among men and women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 5, 177-185.
49.
Walker, J. E.
, Tausky, C., & Oliver, D. (1982). Men and women at work: Similarities and differences in work values within occupational groupings. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 21, 17-36.
50.
Wollack, S.
, Goodale, J., Wijting, J., & Smith, P. C. (1971). Development of the survey of work values. Journal of Applied Psychology, 55, 331-338.
51.
Yankelovich, D.
(1979). Work values and the new breed. In C. Kerr & J. M. Rosow (Eds.), Work in America, the decade ahead (pp. 3-26). New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
