Women and the Status Attainment Process: A Working Paper.

Sociologists have long been interested in the area of status attainment but have begun only recently to specifically focus upon the status attainment of women. New approaches are needed for further research. A review of major occupational choice theories shows that they are constructed for primarily male populations and thus are inadequate in their handling of factors which may influence the occupational choices of women. There are more developmental stages for women, with a relatively greater complexity of factors operating within any given stage. Some of the more critical contingencies which affect the occupational choice and status attainment of women are marital plans, fertility plans, residential plans, mother's and father's education and occupation, family finances, presence of discriminatory laws or hiring guidelines, internal motivation, husband's occupational expectation, desire for a working career as opposed to being a housewife, perception of the kinds of jobs that are appropriate for women, the influence of parents and peers, and presence of male siblings. (Author/DE)