A comparative analysis of the home-career conflict, sex role orientation, levels of self-esteem and locus-of-control in black and white females majoring in traditional and nontraditional career fields

The purpose of this dissertation was to assess, comparatively, the levels of home-career conflict in black and white females majoring in traditional and nontraditional careers. This dissertation also examined sex role orientation, levels of self-esteem and locus of control in reference to how these variables may relate to females in these traditional and nontraditional careers. It was predicted that black females majoring in traditional and nontraditional careers experienced less home-career conflict than white females majoring in traditional and nontraditional careers. In reference to sex role orientation, self-esteem and locus of control, the hypotheses predicted that the females majoring in nontraditional careers would possess more androgynous or masculine sex role characteristics, higher levels of self-esteem and more internal control than the females majoring in traditional careers. Black and white females did not significantly differ in their levels of home-career conflict. The females majoring in nontraditional careers possessed more androgynous and/or masculine sex role characteristics and higher levels of self-esteem than the females majoring in traditional careers. The loci of control of the females majoring in nontraditional careers were not significantly different from the loci of control of the females majoring in traditional careers.Overall, it was found that black and white females did not differ in reference to a home-career conflict, the nontraditional career females possessed more androgynous and/or masculine sex role characteristics and higher levels of self-esteem than the females majoring in traditional careers.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio