Traditional Gender Role Beliefs Have Consequences: Long-Term Impacts on Educational and Occupational Choices

• In Event: Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: Gender and Identity: Links to Adjustment

Abstract

Gender-role beliefs are key determinants of adolescents and adults’ occupational and educational aspirations and choices (Schoon & Parsons, 2002). These gender-role beliefs develop in response to important socialization experiences, such as parents’ gendered beliefs, actions and behaviors (Witt, 1997). The current study investigated how parents’ traditional gender-role beliefs and educational attainment are associated with adolescents’ gender-role beliefs and subsequent gendered aspirations, occupational and educational attainment. Using data from participants of the 30-year longitudinal MSALT study and their parents, multi-group path analyses showed differential associations of mothers and fathers’ traditional gender role beliefs with male and female adolescents’ gender role beliefs. These gender role beliefs, in turn, showed differential associations with occupational and educational attainment for females than males.

Authors

• Anna-Lena Dicke, University of California - Irvine

• Nayssan Safavian, University of California - Irvine

• Jacquelynne Eccles, University of California - Irvine