Gender and Occupational Outcomes: Longitudinal Assessment of Individual, Social, and Cultural Influences

Despite concentrated research and important legislative milestones on gender equality over the past quarter-century, gender-related disparities in science, technology, and math careers persist into the 21st century. This persistence sustains a troubling state of gender inequity in which women are not sharing in the salary and status advantages attached to scientific and technical careers. In this landmark volume, editors Watt and Eccles, both well known for their research contributions in this area, compile a rich source of longitudinal analysis that places the problem in context. Experts from different countries in the fields of developmental and social psychology, human development, biology, education, and sociology draw on multi-wave longitudinal data on the gender-related variables that influence occupational outcomes. Together, the studies bring a variety of perspectives, theoretical models, and cultural settings to bear on the book's central questions. Further, the book examines the implications these results have for policy, suggesting which circumstances may be most conducive to promoting a more comprehensive and realistic understanding of gender differences in career choice and persistence. Detailed explanations of study design will serve as a resource for future researchers in this area.