The influence of girls' gender-linked beliefs on their educational and occupational aspirations.

This dissertation uses the Eccles' et al. (1983) expectancy-value model to explore the ways in which gender-role beliefs may influence achievement-related choices through their impact on self-concepts of ability, values, and expectations. The hypotheses propose that gender-role beliefs influence self-concepts, values, and expectancies for adult roles, which, in turn, influence achievement-related choices. Four sets of models are tested in the areas of: math/physical science, English, nurturance, and beliefs about the appropriate roles of women in the workforce and the home (traditionality). Support was found for the hypotheses in the areas of math/physical science and traditionality. The more a girl stereotypes math ability in a male-biased way, the lower her self-concept of math ability. Similarly, the more a girl stereotypes math value in a male-biased way, the lower her value of math. These self-concepts and values related to pro-math achievement choices. Interestingly, viewing math value in a male-biased way was positively related to making pro-math achievement choices, perhaps being indicative of the association of male-typed domains with what is highly valued and rewarded in our society. Traditionality was positively related to the importance placed on having children, which was positively related to one's desire to have a job that is flexible to meet one's family needs. Traditionality was also positively related to the degree that one expects to be the main person responsible for taking care of one's children and doing household work; these expectations are negatively related to the status of one's educational and occupation aspirations. In addition, traditionality was positively related to one's desire to have a job that is flexible to meet one's family needs, and was directly negatively related to the status of one's educational and occupational aspirations. The results are discussed in terms of support for the internalization hypothesis (that females internalize gender stereotypes into their own self-concepts), and in terms of the limits that women may place on their educational and occupation aspirations due to their views that women do not belong in the workplace or that having a career will have a negative impact on a woman's children.Ph.D.Developmental psychologyPsychologySocial SciencesSocial psychologyWomen's studiesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/131206/2/9840538.pd