The under-representation of females in mathematical careers persists despite the fact that in recent years, gender differences in mathematics achievement and participation in mathematics coursework at the high school level have virtually disappeared. This bulletin presents research findings and discusses gender differences in mathematics…

Past studies on the sex-typing of occupations have used a single bipolar scale, ranging from masculinity to femininity. An empirical examination of both occupational sex roles and occupational prestige was conducted using two unipolar scales to assess masculinity and femininity. College students (N=183) rated 94 occupations, which were then…

Women have traditionally entered courses of study congruent with social sex-role stereotypes. Two critical questions were examined with regard to their choice of college major--whether traditional or non-traditional. Women and men enrolled in 22 instructional program areas in the University of Wisconsin system for the years 1973-74 and 1977-78…

Data on male and female senior science undergraduates in nine Canadian universities show substantial gender discrepancies in defection rates and career aspirations, father's occupation as a distinguishing background variable between males and females, and greater likelihood of top women achievers defecting from science than average women…

To understand gender differences in career expectations, a survey of 232 recent college graduates' attitudes toward job factors (such as promotion and salary) was conducted. Findings suggest that women's career aspirations are quite similar to men's, especially for women who majored in traditionally "male" subjects. (KH)

Presents results of a study spanning 14 years of career and life development for 117 women who finished college in 1967 and were studied in 1967, 1970, and 1981. Compares their career and family plans to directions actually taken. Shows shift in labor force participation and tension between work and family. (SA)

The results of two validity studies employing undergraduate students provided support for the proposition that the extent to which a decision-maker holds a sex-role egalitarian attitude moderates the tendency to evaluate males and females differentially. (Author/PN)

Notes that, compared to coeducational institutions, all women's colleges lose fewer of their science majors to other fields. Contends that women's colleges can engender environment and mindset in which there are no barriers based on gender, an environment that encourages women to pursue nontraditional fields like science and medicine. Highlights…

"SET (Science, Engineering, and Technology) for the Future," a research/action project at Scotland's Heriot-Watt University, surveyed SET students' education experience, compared information with previous research, and used results to modify two SET modules to increase the participation of women students and improve their experiences.…

Data collected from 94 British women enrolled in "Women in Technology," a course for women returning to the work force, focused on societal attitudes, childhood socialization patterns, and this group's attitudes towards interrupted careers. The women had all prepared originally for technical careers. (CH)

Tested the influence of a supportive family on 142 women employed in or studying for nontraditional careers. Results showed the importance of emotional support by parents, siblings, peers and teachers. Suggests counselors encourage women to locate role models and mentors if preparing for nontraditional careers. (Author/JAC)

Examines the relationship among sex-role attitudes, curriculum choice, and levels of educational and occupational aspirations and expectations of college students enrolled in home economics and agricultural curriculums. Results show that sex-role ideology is only weakly associated with curriculum choice but is related to career ambitions for…

Compared women in nontraditional fields of study with women in traditional fields over four years. Data indicated that women in nontraditional fields had higher ACT scores and degree expectations, felt better prepared in math, had higher high school grades in math, and came from higher family-income levels. (Author/RC)

Examined relationships of perceived influence of female and male role models, gender role, and performance self-esteem to college women's (N=107) career salience, aspirations, and choices. Perceived role model influences were significantly related to career salience, educational aspirations, and nontraditionality of occupational choices.…

The intergenerational effect of mother's or father's possession of a baccalaureate degree was examined for two racial groups who were respondents to the 1971 and l980 CIRP surveys. A 15-variable block recursive model was estimated to study vocational behavior processes as related to five categories of variables. (Author/MLW)