Sex-role orientation, achievement behavior, and type A behavior in employed and unemployed women

The relationships among sex-role orientation, achievement behavior, the extent of Type A behavior pattern and blood pressure were examined in four occupational groups of women (high status male-dominated occupations, high status female—dominated occupations, medium status female-dominated occupations, unemployed housewives). Participants were 80 college educated women between the ages of 30 and 45.

1. The hypothesis that employed women are more nontraditional in sex-role orientation than housewives was not supported as determined by Brogan and Kutner's Sex-Role Orientation scale.

2. The hypothesis that housewives are more feminine in sex-role than employed women, who are more masculine or androgynous in sex-role was supported. Leaving out the 20-25% of the sample classified as undifferentiated in sex-role as determined by Bem's Sex-Role Inventory, 73% of the employed women were classified as androgynous or masculine while 60% of the housewives were classified as feminine in sex-type.

3. The third hypothesis was supported in that employed women reported more personal accomplishments indicative of achievement behavior that were career-related compared to the housewife population, who reported more achievements related to home, affiliation and family activities. The employed women were found to achieve in both occupational and domestic spheres.

4. The other achievement behavior hypothesis was not supported. The high status employed women did not display more assertive competence motivation than the medium status employed women as determined by Veroff, McClelland and Ruhland's Assertive Competence Motivation questionnaire. The medium status employed women did not exhibit more of this achievement behavior than the housewives.

5. The fifth hypothesis was in part supported by the findings that women in male-dominated occupations exhibit a more extreme manifestation of the Type A coronary-prone behavior pattern than women in female-dominated occupations as determined by the Jenkins Activity Survey. The sample scored similarly on the other JAS factors and on the Rosenman and Friedman Structured Interview. The women in female-dominated occupations did not exhibit a more extreme manifestation of the Type A behavior pattern than the housewife population.

6. Employed women did not have higher blood pressure than the housewives. Thus, the last hypothesis was not supported.