Shifting the Gender Boundary: Predictors of Adolescents’ Aspirations for Entering Traditionally Gender-Atypical Occupations

• In Event: 390 - Section on Race, Gender and Class Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 12. Race, Gender, Class and Work Part II

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify social factors associated with adolescents aspiring to gender-atypical occupations. Two waves of data from the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR), a nationally representative dataset of U.S. teens, were analyzed (N=2,354). An ordinary least squares regression predicted the percentage of current jobholders who were female in the male adolescents’ aspired occupation and the percentage of current jobholders who were male in female adolescents’ aspired occupation. Findings revealed that among male respondents, racial/ethnic identity, parents’ educational attainment, gender role attitudes, proportion of friends who are female, and educational engagement are associated with aspiring toward more female-dominated occupations. Among female respondents, number of older male siblings, parents’ education, gender role attitudes, and family goals are associated with aspiring toward more male-dominated occupations

Author

• Jessica H Hardie, City University of New York