Gender stereotypes and occupational concentration
SOC 436 Topic 6 Discussion Question 2
How do gender stereotypes contribute to occupational concentration as seen in Table 11.2 on page 340 of the textbook? What do you think has contributed to the change over time?
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
Gender stereotypes and occupational concentration
Introduction
Women are still far less likely than men to be employed in high-paying, high-prestige jobs. However, the gender gap is closing—and not just for women who work full time. In fact, working part-time or taking an unpaid internship can help a woman become more competitive in the labor market by reducing her reliance on an employer’s future salary offer as her most valuable asset.
The pattern of specialization in the labor market may affect women’s participation in the workforce
The pattern of specialization in the labor market may affect women’s participation in the workforce. Women are less likely to work in fields that are traditionally male-dominated, and more likely to work in fields that are traditionally female-dominated. This pattern has been observed across many countries, including Japan and the United States.
When women do enter a field, they’re more likely to specialize in lower-paying areas
Women are more likely than men to enter lower-paying fields. This isn’t because they’re less ambitious or less willing to work hard—it’s because they have fewer opportunities, especially when it comes to higher paying jobs.
Women tend to be concentrated in fields that are traditionally female-dominated and have lower prestige, such as teaching and nursing. They also tend not to be able too readily enter male-dominated sectors like engineering and construction management because those industries do not value women’s presence so much as their skillset (and therefore salary).
In fields that skew heavily towards men, there may be no benefits to entering an area with high demand for workers
One of the most important things to consider when you’re deciding whether or not to enter a field that is heavily dominated by men is whether or not there will be any benefits for doing so. If a field is heavily dominated by men, it may be best not to go into that particular field.
An example of this would be engineering and computer science in college. Engineering and computer science are usually comprised entirely of males who have gone through rigorous training programs before entering their respective fields—and they aren’t just limited to two-year colleges! Many four-year universities offer bachelor’s degrees in engineering or computer science that are equivalent to those obtained at community colleges through accelerated curriculums (such as those found in night school).
Jobs associated with traditionally feminine characteristics are often low-paying and less prestigious
You might be surprised to learn that jobs associated with traditionally feminine characteristics are often low-paying and less prestigious. Women, on average, tend to work in lower-paying occupations than men do, and women are more likely than men to work in traditionally feminine jobs — like nursing or teaching.
It’s not just gender stereotypes that affect occupational concentration; other factors may also contribute. For example:
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Age can play a role; older people generally earn more money than younger ones (although this isn’t always true).
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Education level plays an important role too; higher levels of education mean higher salaries over time.
Gender stereotypes can negatively affect economic outcomes for men as well as women
Gender stereotypes can negatively affect economic outcomes for men as well as women. For example, men who are seen as feminine are less likely to be hired or promoted than those who present a more masculine appearance. Men with stereotypical feminine characteristics may also experience discrimination in the workplace when they try to negotiate a higher salary or ask for more flexible work hours.
Gender stereotypes do not only apply to the workplace; they have implications on social interactions outside of work as well (e.g., how much time you spend alone vs interacting with others). In fact, research shows that people who conform closely to gender norms tend to get lower ratings on their personality traits compared with those who don’t conform closely enough–even though both groups have similar levels of competence and commitment at work!
These negative effects help lock women into jobs that pay less and have less prestige.
Gender stereotypes are harmful to everyone. They harm women in particular, men in particular and children in particular.
The negative effects of gender stereotypes can be seen by looking at the occupational concentration of women and men across industries:
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In most industries, women are concentrated at lower-paying jobs than their male counterparts (Clark & Meyers).
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In some industries, such as construction or agriculture/farming (which produce goods for use), there is a greater percentage of female workers than male workers (Clark & Meyers). These findings suggest that women may be locked into these lower paying jobs because they don’t have access to higher paying ones due to gender discrimination from employers who do not want them working outside the home while they raise their families because it limits their ability to earn enough money
Conclusion
These findings suggest that gender stereotypes may impact women’s economic outcomes in the labor market. In particular, the results suggest that occupational concentrations may be a determining factor in who enters certain fields and how much they earn—not just for women but also for men. This pattern of specialization could have negative effects on the economy if it leads to greater unemployment rates among women, which would lead to lower wages and fewer opportunities for both genders.
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