GENDER AND VALUES

We examine gender differences in the fundamental value orientations of U.S. adolescents. We focus on concern with finding purpose and meanin g in life and the basis on which meaning is derived, including connect ion to others and contribution to their well-being, and economic succe ss that involves embracing the market values of materialism and compet ition. We develop three measures of value orientation: (1) compassion, which reflects concern and responsibility for the well-being of other s; (2) materialism, which reflects emphasis on material benefit and co mpetition; and (3) meaning, which reflects philosophical concern with finding purpose and meaning in life. We find substantial gender differ ences on all three measures. Females in our sample are more likely tha n males to express concern and responsibility for the well-being of ot hers, less likely than males to accept materialism and competition, an d more likely than males to indicate that finding purpose and meaning in life is extremely important. These differences are observed through out the period from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s and show little s ign of decreasing; they are evident across social class subgroups and cannot be explained by gender differences in religiosity or the percei ved availability of social support.