Individual Differences in Children's Occupational Aspirations as a Function of Parental Traditionality

The current study was designed to test the application of the social-cognitive theory of gender development to prediction of the traditionality of children's occupational aspirations (Bussey & Bandura, 1999). The associations of the traditionality of children's occupational aspirations with children's visions of their future family roles and children's perceptions of the opportunity structure were also tested. 150 children and their mothers participated in the study. Mothers who reported nontraditional attitudes had children with nontraditional occupational aspirations. This association was mediated by children's feelings of efficacy for nontraditional tasks. Parents with nontraditional behaviors also had children with more nontraditional occupational aspirations, and this association was mediated by children's nontraditional perceptions of the opportunity structure. Many girls envisioned a future where childrearing was a primary responsibility and occupations were perceived as secondary and temporary. Boys envisioned a future where their primary responsibility to their future families was financial. The current study indicates some support for the social-cognitive theory of gender development (Bussey & Bandura, 1999).

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