Effects of religious denomination on sex differences in occupational expectations

Abstract

The degree of difference between men and women in occupational expectations and attitude toward careers for married women are related to the degree of discrimination against women in religious denominations. Occupational expectations are scored along the dimension of masculinity. Discrimination against women is indicated by extent and timing of the ordination of women within the denominations for which subjects indicated a preference. Data are a subselection of 12,018 cases from a national sample of 189,733 first-time full-time entering college freshmen. The difference between women and men in masculinity of occupational choice and agreement with the attitude “Activities of married women are best confined to the home and family” are positively related to denominational discrimination against women.