ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION, FEMININITY-MASCULINITY TRAITS, AND SELF CONCEPT AS CHARACTERISTICS OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN ENROLLED IN PROFESSIONAL CAREER PROGRAMS IN TWO SELECTED UNIVERSITIES

MARGARITA GARCIA ROBERTS, Purdue University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the manifestation of three selected variables--achievement motivation, androgyny, and self concept in women enrolled in selected professional schools of law, medicine, engineering, and management, and to compare these measures to a second sample of women. This second sample of women were enrolled in graduate programs of home economics, nursing, education, and library science. Additionally, male classmates of the first group of women comprised the third sample. All subjects were enrolled at two major midwestern universities. Three instruments to several demographic questions were used in this investigation. The instruments were the Texas Social Behaviors Inventory which measured social competence/self esteem, the Work and Family Questionnaire-II which measured achievement traits, and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire which measured traits of masculinity, femininity, and masculinity-femininity. Responses of 542 subjects were gathered for analysis. The statistical analyses used were one way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation and frequency distributions. It was found that the two samples of women differed on the three selected variables; these differences, however, tended to be small. They also differed on selected demographic characteristics. The first group of women (enrolled in schools that are male dominated) and their male classmates showed little difference in regard to the selected variables and demographics. Based on the findings, which tended to be significant, although small, and in keeping with other study limitations, the following conclusions are made: (1) Higher levels of mastery and competitiveness can be anticipated in groups of women pursuing non-traditional careers than among women pursuing traditional careers. (2) Higher levels of masculine traits occur among women pursuing non-traditional careers than among women pursuing traditional careers. (3) Higher levels of feminine traits are more common among women pursuing traditional careers than among women pursuing non-traditional careers. (4) Higher levels of social competence/self esteem are likely to be demonstrated among women pursuing non-traditional careers than among women pursuing traditional careers.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Higher education

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