Surprising Initial Findings regarding Sex, Sex Role, and Anticipated Work-Family Conflict

Abstract

Previous research in work-family conflict focused on current conflict and yielded contradictory findings. The present study is among the first to examine the relationships among sex, measures of sex role and of anticipated work-family conflict. Anticipated conflict was measured using a modified version of the Interrole Conflict Scale. In a sample of 256 university students, men more than women anticipated greater career conflict. Pieck's 1977 hypothesis of “asymmetrical permeability” was posited as a potential explanation for this finding. The expected relationship between sex-role orientation as measured on the Bern Sex-role Inventory and work-family conflict was not obtained.

Work‐Family Commitment and Attitudes Toward Feminism in Medical Students

“…This finding differs from previous research and theorizing that has suggested that women especially experience difficulty committing themselves equally to roles associated with work and family life (Farmer, 1985;Loscocco, 1997;Piel-Cook, 1993;Wear, 1994). Like previous research findmgs (Livingston & Burley, 1991;Madill et al, 1988;Nevlll& Super, 1988), the present results inhcate that women in a professional training program and pursuing occupations on a career track feel equally committed to and have high expectations for both their careers and their family lives. As found in previous research, such role commitment may not be as predxtive of career development, however, as role participation (Niles, Sowa, & Laden, 1994).…”

“…The rigors of medical training, for example, demand that students dedicate themselves fully to their academic and career pursuits in order to achieve work role success as a physician. Researchers have suggested that such ostensibly high commitment to career success, as would be expected of students in professional training programs, may dampen commitment to home and family or other roles (Livingston & Burley, 1991;Loscocco, 1997). It may be that the tremendous amount of emotional investment and dedication necessary for success in a career as a physician, for example, reduces emotional investment in home and family roles (e.g., those of parent, partner, child, or spouse).…”

“…Role salience comprises three dimensions: participation, or behavioral involvement in a role; commitment, or emotional investment in a role; and knowledge, or cognitive understanding of a role (Super, 1982). The commitment dlmension seems to have garnered the most research to date (e.g., Farmer, 1985;Fitzgerald, Fassinger, & Betz, 1995;Loscocco, 1997;Munson, 1992;Niles & Goodnough, 1996;O'Brien & Fassinger, 1993). The present study sought to advance this research by examining levels of commitment to two major life roles, namely work and family, in a cross-sectional sample of medxal students.…”

Tracing Young Women's Career Aspirations From Junior High School into College

“…Young women view STEM occupations as especially burdensome when they anticipate or have family responsibilities (Seymour & Hewitt, 1997;Ware & Lee, 1988). STEM career goals may be rejected when young women do not see ways to combine their career and family roles (Arnold, 1993;Betz, 1994;Burlew & Johnson, 1992;Lips, 1992: Livingston & Burley, 1991Nauta, et al, 1998). Career exploration programs and shadowing experiences would provide exposure to female STEM role models, who balance a career, family, and social life and counter such negative perceptions.…”