Identity status as a predictor of traditional or nontraditional career choice for women

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate some determinants of women's choice of traditional or nontraditional occupations. Of particular interest as a predictor was identity status on the Dellas Identity Status Inventory--achieved, moratorium, foreclosed, or diffused. Other variables were age, marital status, number of children, educational level, and classification on the Bem Inventory. Subjects were 58 women aged 20 to 39, out of school and working full time. There were 32 in nontraditional occupations and 26 in traditional occupations for women. Results were analyzed with a discriminant analysis and a correlation matrix. This procedure was successful in differentiating the two groups (Wilks' lambda = .319, p = .0042). The variables that predicted type of occupation at p < .05 or better were educational level, achieved and foreclosed identity statuses in religion, androgynous and feminine classifications on the Bem, and marital status. Women in traditional occupations tend to accept parental and/or societal viewpoints in the area of religion. In the areas of politics and occupation, they leave choices to luck or fate. In neither area have they explored alternatives carefully before making commitments. Traditional women see themselves as having stereotypically feminine personal characteristics, and have greater numbers who are married than nontraditional women.Women in nontraditional occupations tend to have a higher level of education than their traditional counterparts. In the area of religion, they have investigated alternatives before making a commitment to a particular ideology. Nontraditional women see themselves as having both masculine and feminine personal characteristics. More of the women in this category were single or divorced than married. Results of the study indicate that women in traditional occupations do differ from those in nontraditional occupations on the variables investigated.