Role Conflict and Career Advancement Among African American Women in Nontraditional Professions

Abstract

To investigate differences in the career experiences of Black women in traditional and nontraditional professions, a sample of Black professional women in traditional (e.g., social work, teaching, counseling) and nontraditional (e.g., law, medicine, engineering) professions were mailed a questionnaire asking about career experiences, family life, and other personal characteristics. Marriage was reported to be more of a career barrier for nontraditionals than traditionals. Nontraditionals also reported more career‐related marital discord than did traditionals. Nontraditionals were more likely to report barriers to career success such as racial and gender discrimination, limited opportunities to develop political clout, and colleagues' doubts about their competence. Nontraditionals also reported less peer support than did traditionals.

Perception of career barriers: The importance of gender and ethnic variables

“…Research regarding career barriers in minority groups shows that ethnic discrimination is the only barrier specific to these groups that occurs independently of the life cycle phase or the ethnic minority group (Burlew & Johnson, 1992;Gomez, Fassinger, Prosser, Cooke, Mejia & Luna, 2001;Jackson & Nutini, 2002;Juntunen, Barraclough, Broneck, Seibel, Winrow, & Morin, 2001;Luzzo, 1993;Luzzo & McWhirter, 2001). Other kinds of barriers, non-specific to these populations, are related to each of the ethnic minority groups illustrating particularities of their career development.…”

Young Women's Science/Mathematics Career Goals From Seventh Grade to High School Graduation

“…Furthermore, women in STEM careers are more likely than women in other professions to report that family responsibilities interfered with their work (Burlew & Johnson, 1992). Nauta and colleagues (1998) found that perceived role conflict was a predictor of and potential obstruction to women's leadership aspirations within STEM professions.…”

“…Other researchers have noted that the perceived demands of STEM occupations are viewed as especially burdensome when young women anticipate or have family responsibilities (Seymour & Hewitt, 1997;Ware & Lee, 1988). Young women may then reject STEM goals because they do not perceive ways to combine their career and family roles (Arnold, 1993;Betz, 1994;Burlew & Johnson, 1992;Lips, 1992;Livingston & Burley, 1991;Nauta et al, 1998).…”

An Expectancy/Value Perspective on the Demotivating Effects of Prejudice

“…Indeed, individuals who belong to stigmatized groups are more likely than are their nonstigmatized counterparts to report that they have experienced discrimination in the past and expect to be discriminated against in the future (Major, McCoy, Kaiser, & Quinton, 2003). Furthermore, they are more likely to cite discrimination as a barrier to their success (e.g., Burlew & Johnson, 1992; Foley & Kidder, 2002; McWhirter, 1997). Thus, the expectation of encountering prejudice is apt to lead to lower expectations of success.…”