Research Paper on the Psychology of Women - Essay Example

en from an early age many times determines the type of vocation and thus pay scale women may believe they must conform to and be satisfied with instead of being determined by their own inherent talents and aptitude for learning. Though females comprise almost half of the workforce, they are bunched together in professions that are traditionally viewed as ‘women’s jobs’ which usually means they receive less compensation for their efforts (U.S. Department of Labor, 2003). The labor force is a system that is segregated on the basis of gender.

In 2003, of those employed as administrative assistants and secretaries, more than 96 percent were women who also comprise more than 80 percent of elementary and middle school teachers while 90 percent of those employed in the nursing profession are women according to the Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor. These figures support previous studies that confirm the propensity for women to select educational paths and subsequently careers which historically have been deemed by society as the proper role for women (Hopkins & McManus, 1998).

Conversely, few women can be found employed in typical ‘blue collar’ vocations that require higher levels of physical exertion. For instance, only about 12 percent of all law enforcement officials, eight percent of civil, three percent of construction workers and two percent of electricians are women (U.S. Department of Labor, 2003). The same gender bias prevails in certain areas of intellectual endeavors as well. For example, according to the October 1990 issue of Notices, “of the 991 doctorates awarded in mathematics by institutions in the U.S. and Canada in 1989-1990, 18 percent of which were awarded to women” (Schafer, 1991).

While the lack of women employed in more physical jobs can be explained at least to some degree, the reasons that women are not usually considered as equals to their male counterparts in the sciences and mathematics fields is more of a