The purpose of this study was to determine how occupational values and social support for career pursuits influenced career choice, with a specific focus on women in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). A sample of 62 college graduates participated in telephone interviews that addressed gender differences in seven occupational values and three sources of social support. Results showed that differences in occupational values differ by both gender and between individuals in STEM and non-STEM careers. The strength of STEM values better predicted a career in STEM than did gender. Finally, women in STEM received the least amount of social support for their career pursuits. These results underscore the need to encourage women's interest in STEM, and develop interventions for career counselors that specifically address the unique needs of women in non-traditional careers.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:USF/oai:scholarcommons.usf.edu:etd-1394 |
| Date | 01 May 2008 |
| Creators | Meikle, Heather |
| Publisher | Scholar Commons |
| Source Sets | University of South Flordia |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Graduate Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | default |
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