Women In Traditional Occupations Research Articles

Liberating Working Women in Traditional Occupations: Exclusion, Exploitation and Deprivation

This article seeks to introspect the place and significance of Kashmiri women within traditional occupations—professions wherein women have a substantial presence. These occupations have previously acted as the nerve of the economy in Kashmir. It is also the only sector that employs people across age and genders. However, women who are currently associated with traditional occupations experience different forms of deprivation. In light of this fact, this article seeks to examine the prevailing levels of deprivations of Kashmiri women through qualitative research techniques. Besides, the study emphasizes the channels to liberate women from diverse forms of exclusion within the realm of traditional occupations. Women’s deprivation is analysed and explored in carpet and shawl weaving occupations, occupations based on indigenous knowledge. The selection of the participants is based on inclusion criteria. The study remained restricted to the Ganderbal district of Kashmir division. The results of the study were documented through 15 case studies. The results revealed that women involved in traditional occupations have experienced different forms of deprivation depending upon the nature of work, current working conditions, nature of wasta (master), availability of work and distance from the workplace.

Sex Differences and Occupational Influences on Health Care Utilization Aboard U. S. Navy Ships

This study assessed health care requirements of men and women aboard U.S. Ngvy ships. It was hypothesized that shipboard women utilize more health care services than men and that these differences are greatest in occupational spe- cialties that traditionally have not been open to women. Data were collected periodically from 20 ships over the course of a year. Results indicated that the pattern of sex differences in health care utilization aboard Navy ships is similar to that of the nation as a whole. Shipboard women use health care resources at a significantly higher rate than men. The magnitude of the sex differences in shipboard health care use, however, appears to be less than that found in the civilian community. Results also demonstrated that women in nontraditional occupations visited sick call at a significantly higher rate than women in traditional occupations. Various theoretical implications are discussed.

Sex-Role Orientation, Coping Strategies, and Self-Efficacy of Women in Traditional and Nontraditional Occupations

Examined women's sex-role orientation, coping strategies, self-efficacy, and stress in male- and female-dominated occupations. Results ( n = 281) revealed that high-masculine women (measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory), compared with low-masculine women, reported significantly lower scores on measures of anxiety and strain, with the exception of interpersonal strain. High-masculine women, compared with low-masculine women, reported greater problem- relative to emotion-focused coping and higher self-efficacy. Low-feminine women in nontraditional occupations reported higher self-efficacy and greater problem-focused coping compared with low-feminine women in traditional occupations. The relation between masculinity and strain was nonsignificant when the variance due to self-efficacy was partialed out, suggesting that the relationship between sex role and strain may be mediated by personal efficacy.

MATURATION RATE, ENDOCRINE FUNCTIONING AND FEMALE CAREER TYPICALNESS

The study compared maturation rate and endocrine functioning according to career typicalness in a sample of 28 currently employed women. Previously reported research from which this sample was drawn had indicated less traditional sex-typing for subjects in a typical careers for personal and psychological characteristics and childhood experiences. Analysis of current data pertaining to subjects' developmental history provided only limited evidence that women in nontraditional careers matured later than women in traditional occupations as hypothesized. The physicians and lawyers had a leaner body make-up than nurses and secretaries; however, no group differences were noted for other physiological measures including blood analysis for steroid values. Self-reported reproductive history data revealed group differences, with subjects in typical categories marrying and bearing children at an earlier age.