Gender-Roles and Women's Achievement

Abstract

Differential participation of the sexes in employment and education has become difficult to ignore. Although increasing numbers of women are working, they are still concentrated in the lower levels of the professional hierarchy and in female-dominated occupations (see Eccles & Hoffman, 1984). Although highly important, institutional barriers are not solely responsible. Psychological factors also contribute to women's underrepresentation in certain high-level and scientific careers. Some of these may limit women's accomplishments through influence on the training young women seek. Successful intervention requires a thorough knowledge of the psychological dynamics themselves. This paper explores these social and psychological processes. It is important to note that any discussion of sex differences in achieve-