CAREER SELF-EFFICACY AND THE PREDICTION OF WORK AND HOME ROLE SALIENCE

This study investigated whether there were gender differences in the r elationship between career-related self-efficacy expectations and both work and home role salience. Self-efficacy expectations to perform du ties in both male and female-dominated occupations were assessed in 11 3 students from a large midwestern university. In addition, salience f or the work and home roles was explored with Super and Nevill's The Sa lience Inventory (1986) for both genders. Super and Nevill defined rol e salience in terms of three dimensions: commitment, participation, an d value expectations. Results suggest that self-efficacy in traditiona lly male-dominated occupations positively predicted commitment to the work role for women but not for men. Previous research was also suppor ted in the finding that women expected to participate more in home-rel ated activities than did men.