Sex differences in styles of occupational identity formation in late adolescence

Administered to 41 male and 42 female high school juniors and seniors an interview assessing identity status and questionnaires measuring vocational identity, social desirability, masculinity/femininity, and achievement motivation. On 2 identity measures, males and females had progressed equal distances toward the achievement of an occupational identity. However, for young men, vocational identity was positively related to masculinity and orientations toward mastery and lack of concern about the negative evaluations of others. On the identity interview, occupational exploration was related to femininity, and occupational commitment was related to masculinity and mastery. For young women, vocational identity was positively related to masculinity and an orientation toward hard work; vocational identity was negatively related to competitiveness. Over 40% of the Ss were identity achievers, exhibiting high levels of occupational exploration and commitment. Identity formation in the late high school years is discussed in terms of a relative equilibrium before the transition marked by leaving home. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).