AbstractsSociology

Intergenerational transmission of gender segregation

by Lou Huuva




Institution: Stockholm University
Department:
Year: 2015
Keywords: occupational preferences; occupational aspirations; sex-role model; gender socialization; occupational gender segregation; intergenerational transmission; Social Sciences; Sociology; Samhällsvetenskap; Sociologi
Record ID: 1344544
Full text PDF: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-117125


Abstract

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.