DO PROFESSIONAL WOMEN HAVE LOWER JOB-SATISFACTION THAN PROFESSIONAL MEN - LAWYERS AS A CASE-STUDY

A central paradox in studies of gender and job satisfaction is why wom en's job satisfaction is not lower than men's given that women's jobs are often inferior The explanation most commonly used is that women ha ve lower expectations than men because they compare themselves to wome n while men compare themselves to men. However; general studies may be masking a gender difference in higher occupational levels. The curren t study explores this possibility by analyzing the 326 lawyers in the 1990 National Survey of lawyers' Career Satisfaction. Of the women, 9% were minorities, and of the men, 3%. It is found that women have sign ificantly lower job satisfaction. Women's lower job satisfaction is du e primarily to their lack of influence and promotional opportunity. Th e results support the assertion that professional women have the same expectations as professional men, not lower; but because of inequality in opportunity, the women have lower job satisfaction.