Most men and women are employed in occupations largely dominated by people of their own sex. Since occupational aspirations have proven to predict future labor market behavior it is of importance to study young boys’ and girls’ occupational preferences. With the use of a survey based on Swedish 15-year-old children this study examines the association between the gender composition of parent’s occupation and the gender composition of children’s most preferred occupation. Drawing from the sex-role model that emphasizes the importance of the same-sex parents in forming children’s preferences, this study has investigated whether the gender composition of mothers’ (fathers’) occupations has an impact on the gender composition of girls’ (boys’) occupational aspirations. In line with previous research, the sex-role model received support for girls. But the observed association between fathers and sons disappear upon adding control variables. It was also hypothesized that the mothers’ generation entry into high status occupation would make children more likely to also regard their opposite sex parents as a role model. However, this hypothesis did not receive support. The result for girls can be interpreted as a sign that sex-role modeling some extent can be one reason behind the persistent sex segregation in the labor market.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(情報学) / 甲第24821号 / 情博第837号 / 新制||情||140(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院情報学研究科知能情報学専攻 / (主査)教授 熊田 孝恒, 教授 西田 眞也, 教授 内田 由紀子, 准教授 中島 亮一 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Informatics / Kyoto University / DFAM