Sex Role Variations in Occupational Prestige Ratings

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Abstract
Studies of the prestige accorded to differing occupations by the general public, such as the NORC 1947 and 1963 ratings of 88 different occupations, have had a major shortcoming: they have focused on male-dominated occupations, and presented them to respondents in a context suggesting that male incumbents were to be given the prestige ratings. Analysis of the ratings by sex of respondent showed little systematic difference. In order to estimate the current public evaluation of occupations in which females have largely been segregated in the recent past, and to examine the sex role variations in these prestige ratings, data were collected as part of a larger study on ten occupations in the human service field, four currently male-dominated, three female-dominated, and four with a mixed sex ratio. Women were found to rate female occupations higher, but the ratings of men and women with respect to male dominated occupations were virtually identical. These findings persisted when race and social class of respondents were controlled. It is suggested that researchers who utilize the prestige of occupations as an explanatory variable in studies of occupational aspirations of youth, career choice job mobility and the like need to consider the different images of the work world held by men and women if their findings are to be valid.

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