Abstract:
The major question of this study was why do community
college women choose traditional occupations? The study
examined the characteristics of community college women who
chose preparation for a traditional occupation either immediately
after graduation from high school or after a period
of absence for family responsibilities.
The sample for this study consisted of 114 female students
enrolled in early childhood education programs in four
Oregon community colleges. The subjects were enrolled in
the first year of an early childhood education program during
Winter Term 1981.
The instrumentation had two parts. The first part
elicited information on the personal characteristics of the
subjects, and the second part was the 15-item version of the
"Attitudes toward Women Scale," which was used to assess sex
role attitudes.
The subjects in this study had chosen a traditional
occupation but displayed nontraditional sex role attitudes
on the "Attitudes toward Women Scale" ([average] = 31.92, S.D. =
7.55, Range = 0 to 45). The influence of fathers correlated
significantly with attitudes toward sex roles. However,
when partial correlations were used, mothers'
influence was related to influence of fathers but was not
related to sex role attitudes. Influence of spouses did
not significantly correlate with attitudes toward sex roles
but was related to influence of mothers. Variables such as
age, marital status, parental education attainment, and
status of parental occupations related to influence of
fathers, mothers, and/or spouses and not to sex role attitudes
when the effects of fathers' influence were controlled
for.
It was concluded that women choose a traditional occupation
even though they have nontraditional sex role attitudes.
This is a deliberate choice with perceived family
support. This study indicates that early childhood education
is a viable educational program of study because
people deliberately choose this field.
