Occupational Sex-Typing by Kindergarten and Fourth-Grade Children
Sex-typing of occupations and its antecedent elements have been investigated using different methods across a variety of age groups. Exp. 1 utilized a memory test as its principal criterion, along with a job-preference question to investigate sex-typing in fourth-grade children. On the memory test the mean numbers of sex-typing errors were significantly different; the subjects presenting traditional sex-typed pairings committed far fewer sex-typing errors. The job-preference question also disclosed sex-typed beliefs pertaining to occupational aspirations. The method in Exp. 2 required 66 kindergarten children to supply names to stick figures performing traditional male and female occupations in each of 10 picture cards. A significant number of sex-typed responses were given. Girls were more sex-typed than boys, traditional male occupations were more sex-typed than traditional female occupations, and boys were less sex-typed when their mothers were employed.