Student affairs personalities : a study of the influences of sexual/affectional orientation of dysfunctional, co-dependent family background on student affairs professionals

In looking at the different types of people who have careers in student affairs, it is clear that many different types of people are attracted to the profession. Yet, the reasons for these different people entering the field are very different. Studies and theories behind what has become known as the "feminization" of student affairs have been developed in the last five years. These theories state that women view relationships and morality different than men. Women are attracted to student affairs because it holds many traditional "feminine" ideals. Other authors have also completed studies that are tied into these issues of the "feminization" of student affairs regarding the moral development in women. These theories study the "feminine" ideal mentioned above and try to show how the "feminine" ideals relate to student affairs.Many other groups have also begun to be studied and analyzed in trying to determine how they view the world. Two of these groups are gay, lesbian and bisexual people and people coming from dysfunctional backgrounds. Whether or not these two groups are also attracted to student affairs for the same or closely related reasons that women seem to be attracted to student affairs, and if these two groups are related to Gilligan's work, is what this research examined.Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of EducationThesis (M.A.