Perceived and real sex differences in college students' career planning.

Examined (a) sex differences in success avoidance, home–career conflict, and the importance of attitudes of significant members of the opposite sex as influences on college students' career planning; and (b) sex differences in and the accuracy of counselors' perceptions regarding those variables. The author's Relationships Influencing Career Planning Scale, designed to measure the 3 dependent variables, was administered to 55 male and 80 female undergraduates and 97 male and 77 female counselors. Female students reported significantly more success avoidance and home–career conflict than male students. Male counselors thought male students were more influenced by success avoidance and significant women than male students actually reported. All counselors perceived that female students experienced more of all 3 dependent variables than female students actually reported. No significant sex differences were found in counselors' perceptions of students' responses. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of sex and professional training area to job orientation.

Examined indications that differences in job orientation may be more closely related to professional interests as reflected in one's professional training area than to differences in sex. 175 university students subgrouped into male business majors, female business majors, and female psychology majors rated the importance of 25 job characteristics comprising 3 job orientation dimensions--long-term career objectives, comfortable working environment and pleasant interpersonal relationships, and intrinsic job aspects. Male and female business majors differed significantly on the comfortable working environment and pleasant interpersonal relationships dimension, but business majors, regardless of sex, differed significantly from female psychology majors on all 3 dimensions, thus supporting the use of professional training area as a control variable in research related to sex differences in job orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical psychologists in the 1970s.

Reports a survey of 855 members of the Division of Clinical Psychology. Among the topics surveyed were professional activities, occupational setting, theoretical orientation, primary professional self-view of respondents, and satisfaction with the APA, graduate training, and choice of career. An ideology scale was administered to appraise attitudes along an intuitive-objective dimension and in terms of psychodynamic and behavioral value orientations. In general, the sample was very positive toward their choice of career and relatively so with regard to their graduate education. Approximately 41% of the respondents' time was devoted to clinical acitivities, 35% to training and research. Certain differences between subgroups are found with the greatest divergence noted between academic clinical psychologists and private practitioners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predictors of Psychological Help Seeking in Clinical and Counseling Psychology Graduate Students.

Psychologists are often called upon to provide supervision, mentorship, and training to graduate student therapists-in-training. In these roles, psychologists may influence whether graduate students enter personal therapy during their training. This study investigated variables (including perceived faculty attitudes about students in personal therapy) that predict psychotherapy help seeking in clinical and counseling psychology graduate students (N = 262). The findings indicated that confidentiality issues, general attitudes about therapy, and perceptions of the importance of personal therapy for professional development were important predictors of graduate student help seeking. The implications for faculty, supervisors, and mentors of therapists-in-training are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex differences in career self-efficacy, consideration, and interests of eighth and ninth graders.

Assessed 57 female and 51 male 8th- and 9th-grade college-bound students to determine relations between their self-efficacy, interest, and consideration of 10 traditionally male and female occupations. Sex differences were examined. Significant relations emerged, suggesting that interest plays a major role in the consideration of both traditionally male and female occupations and that interest is a function of sex differences. Analysis of individual occupations revealed significant sex differences for only a select group of occupations within each occupational cluster. Both males and females indicated similar confidence in meeting the educational requirements and performing the job duties for most of the occupations. Results are compared with those reported by N. E. Betz and G. Hackett (see record 1982-02194-001) for college students. Counseling recommendations are also proposed. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Doctoral student experiences in gender-balanced and male-dominated graduate programs.

Similarities and differences were examined in graduate school experiences of male and female doctoral students in programs containing predominantly male or gender-balanced faculty. Participating students reported their perceptions of mentor support, partner support, peer support, academic self-concept, sensitivity to family issues, stress, and career commitment. In studies, women in male-dominated programs expressed lower academic self-concept, less sensitivity in their departments to family issues, and lower career commitment compared with all other students. Mentor support and academic self-concept predicted the career commitment of all students. Student reports were unrelated to the gender of their mentors. A subset of the students participated at both time points; these students showed significant drops in self-concept and career commitment across the 2 years. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Explaining sex differences in managerial career satisfier preferences: The role of gender self-schema.

Using survey data from 400 managers, the authors examined whether gender self-schema would explain sex differences in preferences for status-based and socioemotional career satisfiers. Female gender self-schema, represented by femininity and family role salience, completely mediated the relationship between managers' sex and preferences for socioemotional career satisfiers. However, male gender self-schema, represented by masculinity and career role salience, did not mediate the relationship between managers' sex and preferences for status-based career satisfiers. As expected, male managers regarded status-based career satisfiers as more important and socioemotional career satisfiers as less important than female managers did. The proposed conceptualization of male and female gender self-schemas, which was supported by the data, enhances understanding of adult self-schema and work-related attitudes and behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nonverbal acuity: A comparison of counselors and noncounselors.

Examined the influence of sex and major field of graduate study on nonverbal acuity. Ss were 100 male and female students in graduate programs in counselor education and business management. Nonverbal acuity was measured by asking Ss to identify nonverbal information about emotinal states from pictures. Results show that sex influenced nonverbal acuity, with females being significantly more accurate than males. No significant difference between counselors and noncounselors was found, contrary to the expectation that professional counselors would be more proficient in this area. Results are discussed in relation to graduate programs for counselor preparation, transmission of nonverbal messages during client interviews. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex Differences in Cooperative and Competitive Attitudes From the 2nd Through the 12th Grades.

In spite of a stereotype of male preference for competition and female preference for cooperation, many studies of sex differences in cooperative and competitive behavior and attitudes at different age levels and in different artificial settings have produced inconsistent findings. In this study, attitudinal data from a survey of over 2,400 students in Grades 2-12 were used to depict sex differences in cooperativeness and competitiveness in a natural school setting. Females showed consistently more positive attitudes toward cooperation in school, and males showed consistently more positive attitudes toward competition, with the greatest differences appearing in Grades 8-10. Differences ranged from about .2 to about .9 standard deviation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expressed vocational choice and vocational indecision.

Equally divided 232 male and female college students into 4 groups based on their responses to the Occupational Alternatives Question. Groups were composed of Ss who had a 1st choice and no alternatives, a 1st choice plus alternatives, no 1st choice but alternatives, and neither a 1st choice nor alternatives. The hypothesis tested was that these groups would differ on dependent variables related to vocational decision making. No significant differences were found on socioeconomic status or on J. L. Holland's constructs of consistency, differentiation, or congruence with career choice. Significant group differences were found on congruence with college major, total number of Vocational Preference Inventory responses, and scales measuring satisfaction with college major and career choice. Significant differences were also found on 2 recent scales measuring vocational indecision; the Vocational Decision Making Difficulty Scale and the Career Decision Scale. Significant sex differences indicate that females were more congruent and satisfied with their college majors. Implications of the results for future research and vocational counseling are examined. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dental students' attitude to gender roles

This investigation assessed attitudes held by United States women and men dental students toward professional and sex role concepts. The concepts included: female dental student, male dental student, dentist, adult woman, adult man, wife and husband. These attitudes were evaluated and compared in the context of the students' current and future professional roles and their sex roles. Although there were several differences in attitudes between the two subject groups, the results suggest that the women and men dental students viewed their various roles as consistent with one another. It is particularly important to note that the women dental student is viewed by both gender groups as having professional and sex roles which do not conflict.     

Perceptions of a sex-fair counselor and her client.

Investigated the effects of sex-fair counseling on 18 male and 21 female undergraduates' perceptions of (a) a female counselor, (b) a same-sex client, and (c) their own attitudes. The experimental design was a 2?×?2 factorial in which a female or a male client discussed traditional or nontraditional career plans with the counselor. The only significant findings regarding perceptions of the counselor were that women anticipated that they would feel more comfortable with the counselor who facilitated nontraditional career exploration than did men. Women tended to evaluate traditional and nontraditional clients similarly, whereas men evaluated the traditional client more favorably regarding academic achievement. Ss' own attitudes regarding occupational choice did not differ significantly between the 2 types of counseling, although the nontraditional condition did seem to result in greater flexibility among women. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Verbal activity, sex, counselor experience, and success in counseling.

Examined the contribution made by client and counselor verbal activity, client and counselor sex, and counselor experience to satisfaction and symptom relief. Ss were 18 male and 5 female counselors employed at a university counseling service (9 of whom were experienced), 34 undergraduates, and 2 graduate students. 20 of the students were female and 16 were male. Counselor-offered facilitative conditions were held constant. Data were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis. Clients seeing experienced counselors reported better outcomes. Neither sex nor activity of the therapeutic participants contributed to therapeutic success. Explanations of findings and implications for counseling practice are discussed. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Doctoral candidates' attitudes toward models of professional training.

Administered a questionnaire to 226 clinical graduate students from scientist-professional programs (SPP) and 223 graduate students from professional school programs (PSP) to assess attitudes toward their current training program's curriculum. Findings show that 85% of PSP and 70% of SPP Ss expressed positive attitudes. When divided into those aspiring to applied practice, research, and combined applied/research careers, 67% of SPP Ss who aspired to applied practice careers (28% of this sample) expressed preference for a professional school training model. In contrast, two-thirds or more of PSP Ss in all career-aspiration categories expressed a preference to remain in their existing programs. Findings were consistent across age, sex, entry degree, and internship experience. Results are discussed in relation to Vail Conference recommendations and forces that shape psychology graduate curricula. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex differences in job outcome preferences: Trends among newly hired college graduates.

Examined several causes for discrepant findings in the literature related to sex differences in job outcome preferences. 648 college graduates newly hired into entry-level business jobs over a 9-yr period rated job characteristics comprising 3 job outcome dimensions: (a) long-term career objectives, (b) working environment and interpersonal relationships, and (c) intrinsic job aspects. The possibility that the area of professional training could account for sex differences in job outcome preferences was explored, controlling for age, education, organizational level, and occupational category. Although professional training area did have a significant effect on job outcome preferences, sex differences persisted, with females giving significantly less emphasis to career objectives and significantly more emphasis to work environment and interpersonal job aspects than males. Analyses of trends showed a convergence of female preferences toward those of males on the 2 dimensions in which sex differences were found. Efforts to predict turnover from job outcome preferences suggested that females with a relatively high career orientation were less likely than males or other females to leave the organization. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Career self-efficacy expectations and perceived range of career options in community college students.

The first purpose of the present study was to explore the relation of socioeconomic status (SES), race, gender, career self-efficacy, career interests, and sex role orientation to career-choice range in female–male, and non-gender-dominated careers. The second purpose was to determine the relation of SES, race, sex role orientation, gender, and career interests to career self-efficacy. Results indicated that career interest and career self-efficacy expectations significantly predicted range of perceived career options above and beyond the contributions of the other dependent variables. Similarly, career interest and sex role orientation predicted self-efficacy expectations. Recommendations for future investigations of the career self-efficacy model of occupational choice as well as some possible applications of the findings to career counseling are made. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Role of Gender in the Career Aspirations of Professional Psychology Graduates: Are There More Similarities Than Differences?

Although it has been claimed that the increase in the number of females enrolled in graduate programs in professional psychology has implications for the future of research, teaching, and clinical service, more research is needed to evaluate such claims. Canadian graduate students in professional psychology programs were surveyed to examine gender differences in their academic achievements, professional interests, career plans, as well as the reasons for their career choices, expected salaries, and personal opinions regarding affirmative action. Overall, the similarities between genders outweighed the differences. However, women were more likely than men to expect child-rearing to disrupt their careers, to make their career choices based on job flexibility, and to expect lower maximum salaries. Women were also less likely to want to pursue jobs in academia, yet were more likely to advocate for the recruitment of women into academia. The potential implications of the changing gender composition and overall trends in professional psychology are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex and empathy, reexamined.

W. Olesker and L. Balter (see record 1973-06850-001) demonstrated that undergraduates were significantly more empathic when judging members of the same rather than the other sex. The present study used the Affective Sensitivity Scale to reexamine the possibility of a relationship between sex and empathy in 21 female and 21 male graduate students in counselor education. Contrary to Olesker and Balter's findings, results show that for the graduate student Ss there was no significant difference in empathic ability whether judging members of the same or the other sex. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)