Sex differences in styles of occupational identity formation in late adolescence.

Abstract

In order to examine sex differences in the development of occupational identity, 41 male and 42 female high school juniors and seniors were administered an interview assessing identity status and questionnaires measuring vocational identity, social desirability, masculinity/femininity, and achievement motivation. On two identity measures, males and females had progressed equal distances toward the achievement of an occupational identity. However, for young men and women the identity measures were related differently to masculinity/f emininity and achievement motivation. For young men, vocational identity was positively related to masculinity and orientations toward mastery and lack of concern about the negative evaluations of others. On the identity interview, occupational exploration was related to femininity, and occupational commitment was related to masculinity and mastery. For young women, vocational identity was positively related to masculinity and an orientation toward hard work; vocational identity was negatively related to competitivene ss. Developmentally, over 40% of the subjects were identity achievers, exhibiting high levels of occupational exploration and commitment. Identity formation in the late high school years is discussed in terms of a relative equilibrium before the transition marked by leaving home.