MA Research Paper

Degree

Master of Arts

Program

Sociology

Supervisor

Dr. Tracey Adams

Abstract

Gender inequality in the workplace remains a salient issue today; women continue to earn less than men, driven in part by occupational segregation and by general perceptions about socially constructed gender norms. Using the United States General Social Survey, I conduct multivariate Ordinary Least Squares regression analysis to explore the differences in gender role ideologies by generational cohort and occupation. The results highlight differences in gender role ideologies amongst occupations and suggest that while perceptions of gender influence occupational choices, so too do occupations impact our perceptions of gender roles. Individuals working in occupations atypical for their gender, those who challenge gender norms through their field of work, tend to hold more egalitarian attitudes towards gender roles. Such findings reinforce the importance of not only understanding the individual but also the structural factors that drive our attitudes towards gender and gender roles, which are of key importance for driving gender equality.

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