This study investigated whether there were gender differences in the relationship between career-related self-efficacy expectations and both work and home role salience. Self-efficacy expectations to perform duties in both male and female-dominated occupations were assessed in 113 students from a large midwestern university. In addition, salience for the work and home roles was explored with Super and Nevill's The Salience Inventory (1986) for both genders. Super and Nevill defined role salience in terms of three dimensions: commitment, participation, and value expectations. Results suggest that self-efficacy in traditionally male-dominated occupations positively predicted commitment to the work role for women but not for men. Previous research was also supported in the finding that women expected to participate more in home-related activities than did men.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84, 191-215.
2.
Barnett, R.C., & Baruch, G.K. (1987). Determinants of fathers' participation in family work. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 49, 29-40.
3.
Betz, N.E., & Fitzgerald, L.E. (1987). The career psychology of women. Orlando, FL: Academic Press .
4.
Betz, N.E., & Hackett, G. (1981). The relationship of career related self-efficacy expectations to perceived career options in college women and men. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 28, 339-410.
5.
Branch, L.E. (1986). Self-efficacy and career choice. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Kansas, Lawrence.
6.
Hackett, G., & Betz, N.A. (1981). A self-efficacy approach to the career development of women. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 18, 326-339.
7.
Harmon, L.W. (1981). The life and career plans of young adult college women: A follow-up study. Journal of Counseling Psychology , 28, 416-427.
8.
Johnson, C.L., & Johnson, F.A. (1977). Attitudes toward parenting in dual-career families . American Journal of Psychiatry, 134, 391-395.
9.
Lent, R.W., Brown, S.E., & Larkin, K.C. (1984). Relation of self-efficacy expectations to academic achievement and persistence. Journal of Counseling Psychology , 31, 356-362.
10.
Lent, R.W., Lopez, F.G., & Bieschke, K.J. (1991). Mathematics self-efficacy: Sources and relation science based career choice. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 38, 424-430.
11.
Nevill, D.D., & Perotta, J.M. (1985). Adolescent perceptions of work and home: Australia, Portugal, and the United States. Journal of Vocational Behavior , 31, 139-151.
12.
Nevill, D.D., & Schlecker, D.I. (1988). The relation of self-efficacy and assertiveness to willingness to engage in traditional/nontraditional career activities. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 12, 91-98.
13.
Nevill, D.D., & Super, D. (1988). Career maturity and commitment to work in university students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 31, 139-151.
14.
Oliver, L.W. (1975). The relationship of parental attitudes and parent identification to career and homemaking orientation in college women. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 7, 1-12.
15.
Pedhazur, E.J. (1982). Multiple regression in behavioral research. New York: CBS College Publishing.
16.
Post-Kammer, P., & Smith, P.L. (1985). Sex differences in career self-efficacy consideration and interests of eighth and ninth graders. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 32, 551-559.
17.
Rotberg, H.L., Brown, D., & Ware, W.B. (1987). Career self-efficacy expectations and perceived range of career options in community college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 34, 164-170.
18.
Stickel, S.A., & Bonett, R.M. (1991). Gender differences in career self-efficacy: Combining a career with home and family. Journal of College Student Development, 32, 297-301.
19.
Strong, E.K. (1983). Vocational interest blank for men. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
20.
Super, D.E. (1984). Career and life development. In D. E. Brown & L. Brooks (Eds.), Career choice and development (pp. 192-234). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
21.
Super, D.E., & Nevill, D.D. (1983). The Values Scale and The Salience Inventory of the Work Importance Study. Gainesville, FL: Department of Psychology, University of Florida.
22.
Super, D.E., & Nevill, D.D. (1984). Work role salience as a determinant of career maturity in high school students. Journal of Vocational Behavior , 25, 30-44.
23.
Super, D.E., & Nevill, D.D. (1986). The Salience Inventory: Theory, application and research manual (research ed.)Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologist Press.
24.
U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. ( 1980). Job options for women in the 80's. Washington, DC: Author.
