Gender Differences in Work Attitudes and Work Experience in a Student Sample

HAJNALKA FÉNYES Gende Di e ences in Wo k A i udes and Wo k Expe ience in a S uden Sample S a us inconsis ency can be ound be ween women's educa ion le el and labo ma ke posi ion. Conce ning pa icipa ion a es in o mal educa ion he ad an age o women can be obse ed as ea ly as he 1980s1 (Fo ay 1986), whe eas e en ecen ly women in he labo ma ke seem o be in a disad an ages posi ion compa ed o men. Howe e women's ad an age canno be said o be comple e e en in he educa ion sys em. Boys' and gi ls' schools go in di e en di ec ions; ho izon al seg ega ion is aking place acco ding o gende . A “neoseg ega ion” o boys' and gi ls' schools is gaining g ound as coeduca ion is d i en back, which may pu he gi ls in a disad an aged posi ion. “In he e ical s uc u e o he educa ion sys em gi ls ha e gained ad an age o e he boys, bu in he ho izon al s uc u e he adi ional choices ha e p o ed o be o e whelming.” (Fo ay, Hegedűs 1987: 234). In he g amma schools o mino se lemen s and in he ou ski s o ci ies gi ls a e in majo i y, whe eas in schools o highe p es ige in ci ies he gende a es seem o be balanced. Also in oca ional seconda y schools seg ega ion by adi ional male and emale p o essions is p e alen (Fo ay 1986). Besides, seg ega ion by gende can also be ound in highe educa ion (see Fényes 2009b). Among he unde lying easons o he s a us inconsis ency in women's posi ion in his pape we a e dealing wi h he di e ences be ween he wo k a i ude and wo k expe ience o boys and gi ls gained du ing hei s udies in highe educa ion, as hese di e ences may p edic hei achie emen s o ailu es in he labo ma ke . In es iga ing he di e ences in wo k a i udes is also impo an because one o hei consequences is he sepa a ion o wo kplaces by gende ha “ eminized” and “male dominan ” wo kplaces a e di e ed and he numbe o women is sca ce in CEO posi ions. 1 Fo ay(1989) has poin ed ou ha oma women s ill lag behind in he pa icipa ion o o mal educa ion compa ed o oma men, hus emancipa ion in educa ion has no eached he le el o he o al popula ion. Hajnalka Fényes: Gende Di e ences in Wo k A i udes and Wo k Expe ience in a S uden Sample 17 The e m wo k a i ude co e s in an “absolu e sense” wha wo k means in he indi idual li e, and in a “ ela i e sense” i e e s o he cha ac e is ics o “good li e” and in which ways hey a e ela ed o wo k (Kó ódi 2006) A simila e m o wo k a i ude is labo alue, which co e s he opinions ela ed o he ma e ial and subjec i e ewa ds o wo k (Megyesi, Róbe 2000). The s udy o he wo k a i ude o young people seems o be jus i ied by he ac ha “in E icson's de ini ion wo k a i udes a e ac ually deep- oo ed ideas which a e es ablished in ea ly childhood due o he impac s om socie y, and hese “only” a e being shaped unde he in luence o new expe ience”(quo e by Kó ódi 2006:290). Young people's wo k a i ude can be in luenced by hei wo k expe ience du ing hei s udies, bu he e ec o pa en s and o he adul s can also be conside able. Fo he examina ion o wo k a i ude an in e na ionally accep ed ques ion consis ing o se e al i ems was used2, a simila one was also applied by Medgyesi and Róbe in hei esea ch (Medgyesi, Róbe 1998, 2000, 2008). Acco ding o Al o jai and Róbe di e ence can be made be ween ins umen al (sala y-o ien ed) and commi ed ( alue-o ien ed) wo k a i udes, whose impo ance by gende can be expec ed o be di e en . Fo people wi h ins umen al a i ude high sala y is impo an , hey conside wo k as a way o make money and no hing else. Those wi h commi ed wo k a i ude would wo k e en i hey had no needed money, and hey ind i impo an ha hei wo k should be bene icial o socie y and could assis o he s. Howe e i is an in e es ing esul ha ins umen al a i ude does no imply ad an age in sala ies, on he con a y, commi ed employees go highe wages (Al o jai, Róbe 2006). O e he pas ew yea s employees in Hunga y conside he secu i y o job, he size o he sala y and p omo ion op ions highly impo an , whe eas he social bene i o wo k, assis ing o he s and lexi ime a e no ha impo an as hey used o be.( Medgyesi, Róbe 1998, 2000, 2008). Acco ding o he esul s o he da abase ISCED54 o he “Regional Uni e si y” esea ch (Kó ódi 2006, 2007) o highe educa ion s uden s he secu i y o he job, he high sala y and he challenge o he p ospec i e job a e he mos essen ial ea u es. The u he esul s by Kó ódi also show ha in he egion called Pa ium only as much as 12.4 pe cen o he s uden s in highe educa ion wo ked egula ly in 2005, and 62 pe cen o hei job did no ela e o hei s udies. The easons why hey ook hese jobs we e mainly inancial necessi y, ge ing mo e independen om he pa en s, 2 On a ou deg ee scale how impo an a e he ollowing: wo k in a good a mosphe e, sense o achie emen , iendly colleagues, mee ing people, helping o he s, wo k use ul o socie y, eam wo k, ime o he amily, i should no be oo exhaus ing, wo k ocusing on achie emen , high sala y, p omo ion p ospec s, and inally he op ion o independen decision-making. 18 METSZETEK 2014/2. szám and gaining expe ience. I is also a no ewo hy esul ha he wo k a i ude o he s uden s wi h wo k expe ience did no eally di e om ha o he s uden s wi h no wo k expe ience. Hypo heses and da abase Ou i s hypo hesis is conce ned wi h he wo k a i ude o young people. Due o he di e se ca ee o ien a ion, o women well-balanced emo ional ies and in e pe sonal ela ions a wo k a e a lo mo e impo an , whe eas o men i is powe and money ha eally ma e (Koncz 2005). Thus i can be en isaged ha women will highly app ecia e socially bene icial wo k, helping o he s (al uis ic, alue-o ien ed, commi ed wo k a i ude, see Al o jai, Robe 2006). Besides, he secu i y, di e si y and he challenge o he job is also impo an o hem and due o lexi ime and less exhaus i e job hey could also ha e enough ime o he amily. Fo gi ls he high mo ale o he wo kplace, mee ing people and wo king wi h iendly colleagues a e also impo an , including eam wo k and he sense o achie emen can be mo e ele an o he gi ls due o hei lesse sense o sel con idence. In case o men high sala y, wo king independen ly, achie emen - o ien ed job and esponsibili y and p omo ion p ospec s will be mo e impo an . Ou second hypo hesis is ha boys do mo e egula job du ing hei s udies han gi ls and he wo k hey do is mo e closely ela ed o hei s udies, which ac also may p edic men's labo ma ke success. In case o he easons o ha ing job du ing he s udies such as inancial necessi y, ma e ial independence, gaining expe ience, sel - ul illmen , wo k done a eques , p o essional ambi ions, wo k done a compulso y p ac ice no signi ican di e ence can be expec ed by gende . The unde lying eason o his migh be ha mos o he s uden s ha e no s a ed a amily, so he con lic be ween wo k and amily does no appea and in his way he mo i es o doing a job a e mos ly simila bo h in case o he boys and he gi ls. Ou esul s a e shown elying on he da abase ISCED54 o he Regional Uni e si y Resea ch (NKFP 26-0060). We examined s uden s be o e g adua ion because hey p esumably ha e mo e ealis ic ideas abou hei u u e job and in his pa icula ques ionnai e se e al i ems a e ela ed o he a i ude o wo k (N=940). Hajnalka Fényes: Gende Di e ences in Wo k A i udes and Wo k Expe ience in a S uden Sample 19 Gende di e ences in wo k a i udes and wo k expe ience Resul s ela ed o he wo k a i ude o young people showed as ea ly as in he 1980s ha boys app ecia e high sala y and mino in ellec ual e o , whe eas gi ls conside good wo king condi ions, he social aspec and aes he ic alue o he job mo e impo an . Taking social backg ound also in o conside a ion he di e ence be ween he wo k a i ude o socially disad an aged boys and gi ls was bigge han ha o he socially ad an aged boys and gi ls (Fo ay 1986). We do no examine his ela ionship a his poin , bu we in end o do i . Kó ódi (2006, 2007) made use o he same ISCED54 da abase o he Regional Uni e si y esea ch p ojec , bu he s uden s om ac oss he bo de we e no included, and she examined only he di e ence in he a e age sco es o he ques ions ela ed o wo k a i ude. Acco ding o he esul s o women in highe educa ion i is mo e impo an o do socially bene icial job, o help o he s besides hey also app ecia e he secu e and in e es ing jobs. Rega ding independen job pe o mance and p omo ion he e we e signi ican di e ences by gende , mo eo e i was a he peculia ha gi ls conside ed high sala y mo e impo an han boys. Wha may lie in he backg ound o his ac is ha he inancial si ua ion o he gi ls was wo se han ha o he boys. Ou esul s, based on he o al ou - yea cou se s uden s da abase o Regional Uni e si y esea ch (ISCED54, N=940) a e as ollows. Wo k a i udes we e compa ed by means o h ee me hods by gende . Simila ly o Kó ódi he a e ages o he wo k a i ude a iables (1: absolu ely no impo an , 2: no impo an , 3: impo an , 4: e y impo an ) we e compa ed by gende and he e he ANOVA alue signi icance was conside ed. Then we examined simple c oss- abs and chi-squa e s a is ics. Finally he ques ion ela ed o wo k a i ude was ans o med in o a wo- alue one, wi h impo an o no impo an alues, and we used he e also c oss- abs he chi-squa e s a is ics. Absolu e ad an age o he boys measu ed by all h ee me hods canno be de ec ed in none o he wo k a i ude a iables. Gi ls' ad an age was howe e signi ican measu ed by all h ee me hods in he ollowing wo k a i udes (shown by he da a o he hi d me hod). 20 METSZETEK 2014/2. szám Table 1. Gende di e ences in se en wo k a i udes, pe cen ages o impo an and e y impo an eplies pu oge he Impo an … Boys (N) Gi ls (N) Chi-squa e wo k in good a mosphe e 93.7% (303) 98.4% (622) *** sense o achie emen 95% (301) 98.1% (622) * iendly colleagues 91% (300) 95.5% (620) ** mee ing people 81% (300) 88.7% (621) ** helping o he s 63% (303) 84.8% (620) *** socially bene icial wo k 70.7% (300) 82.3% (620) *** eam wo k 65.3% (303) 72.2% (622) * In line wi h ou hypo heses helping o he s and socially bene icial wo k a e much mo e impo an o women han men due o he di e se ca ee o ien a ion and he adi ional gende ole beha io . Women end o be al uis ic, alue-o ien ed and mo e commi ed o wo k han men. Team wo k, iendly colleagues and mee ing people a e also impo an aspec s o wo k o women, which is also in acco dance wi h he social skills o women and he ac ha hey app ecia e being in communi y, hus wi h colleagues as well. Sense o achie emen , especially ex e nal acknowledgmen is mo e impo an o women han o men, which can be explained by di e en gende socializa ion. (Acco ding o Michelson (1989) o women ex e nal acknowledgmen is mo e impo an , whe eas men ha e highe sel -con idence.) Wo k in good a mosphe e is also mo e impo an o gi ls. In he able below wo k a i udes a e shown in which mino ad an age o gi ls/boys was ound. Among he h ee me hods one o wo we e no signi ican by gende , bu in he hi d one gi ls'/boys' ad an age is shown. Table 2. Gende di e ences in u he eigh wo k a i udes Mino ad an age o gi ls Mino ad an age o boys No di e ence by gende ime allo ed o he amily lexi ime p omo ion a ie y in wo k no oo exhaus ing job independen decision- making challenging job achie emen -o ien ed job secu e job high sala y esponsible job As i was expec ed, also in acco dance wi h gende oles mino ad an age o gi ls was ound in he wo k a i ude ha ime should be allo ed o he amily, when Hajnalka Fényes: Gende Di e ences in Wo k A i udes and Wo k Expe ience in a S uden Sample 21 compa ing he a e ages o he eplies, bu he di e ence is no signi ican acco ding o c oss ables. As shown by c oss ables a ied and in e es ing job is a bi mo e impo an o gi ls han boys, bu he a e age sco e o he eplies o he ques ion did no di e signi ican ly. In a s udy o he mo i es o u he educa ion (see Fényes 2009a) in gi ls’ ca ee p ospec s i is no necessa ily he high sala y ha ma e s, bu a he p o essional in e es , and he enhancemen o cul u al capi al, which may come also use ul in hei amily. Va ied and in e es ing job is a alue in i sel o hem. As i was supposed, secu e job is a bi mo e impo an o he gi ls, bu he di e ence is no signi ican by all he h ee me hods. (This aspec was impo an o he boys and e y impo an o he gi ls.) Howe e , con a y o ou hypo hesis esponsible wo k is also mo e impo an o gi ls acco ding o he ou - alue c oss ables, bu he di e ence is no signi ican acco ding o he o he wo assessmen me hods. Boys conside ed lexi ime a bi mo e impo an , and acco ding o c oss ables, gi ls did no ind i so much impo an as boys, which ac is in con adic ion wi h he di ision o labo by adi ional gende oles, since amily and childca e is s ill he esponsibili y o women and lexi ime would be mo e conduci e o his ole. Mickelson (1989) says his phenomenon pe haps can be explained by he ac ha women in highe educa ion may ha e un ealis ic expec a ions, i.e hey unde es ima e hei labo ma ke disad an age and hey expec men's equal pa icipa ion in household cho es. Besides p e e ence o lexi ime by boys may be ela ed o hei g ea e demand o independence and eedom. Con a y o ou hypo hesis he need ha he wo k should no be “exhaus ing” is also mo e impo an o he boys.3 As i can be seen in he gende di e ences in u he educa ion mo i a ions (Fényes 2009a) boys can be cha ac e ized by a so o “laziness”. They en e highe educa ion because ha hey did no need o wo k e en du ing his ime, and apply o a pa icula majo because hey did no ha e o ake an en ance examina ion. As shown by c oss ables no e y exhaus ing job was impo an o gi ls, bu a lo mo e impo an o boys. Achie emen o ien ed wo k and high sala y a e a bi mo e impo an o boys han o gi ls, which ac co esponds o ou hypo hesis. 3 This ac is also ha mony wi h Fo ay's (1986) esul s om he 1980s, namely ha young boys a ou ed mino in ellec ual e o when doing wo k. 22 METSZETEK 2014/2. szám Fu he mo e, he e is no signi ican di e ence be ween boys and gi ls ega ding p omo ion p ospec s and independen decision making by none o he assessmen me hods, al hough boys’ ad an age could ha e been expec ed. In he ables below gende di e ences in doing wo k du ing he s udies can be seen. These di e ences can also be ela ed o wo k a i udes and u u e job pe o mance. Table 3. Wo k done du ing s udies by gende Boys Gi ls Yes, egula ly 16.5% 11.2% Yes, occasionally 33.3% 31.2% Yes, bu no paid wo k 3.3% 2.3% Did no wo k 46.9% 55.3% N 303 (100%) 618 (100%) Chi-squa e is signi ican *. Table 4. To wha ex en he wo k done was ela ed o hei s udies by gende Boys Gi ls Always 16.7% 10.6% Mos o he ime 27.2% 23.0% No 56.2% 66.4% N 162 (100%) 274 (100%) Chi-squa e is almos signi ican (p=0,069), and he eason o his ac can be ha he i em numbe s a e smalle , since only he gende dis ibu ion o he s uden s doing wo k is aken in o conside a ion. As i can be seen a la ge numbe o boys wo k egula ly du ing hei s udies han gi ls, and he wo k hey do is mo e ela ed o hei s udies han in he case o gi ls. This ac may ha e some hing o do wi h he u u e labo ma ke success o he boys. Unpaid cha i y wo k was no ha common among s uden s a he ime o he que y (in 2005), and he e is no di e ence be ween boys and gi ls in his espec . The mo i a ions o doing wo k du ing hei s udies, such as inancial necessi y, ma e ial independence, gaining expe ience, sel - ul illmen , wo k done a eques , p o essional ambi ion and wo k du ing compulso y p ac ice in line wi h ou hypo hesis did no di e by gende . Due o he lack o signi icance ou da a a e no shown he e. Ou esul s showed no signi ican di e ence in employmen ab oad4. 4 The mo i a ions o his can be sligh ly di e en by gende (un o una ely no da a a e a ailable). The main easons like lea ning languages and inancial conside a ions a e equally impo an o boys and Hajnalka Fényes: Gende Di e ences in Wo k A i udes and Wo k Expe ience in a S uden Sample 23 Summa y In his pape we in ended o ind ou why women a e s ill in disad an age in he labo ma ke despi e hei ad an age in he educa ion sys em. One o he possible easons can be he di e ence be ween he wo k a i ude and wo k expe ience o boys and gi ls in highe educa ion. As shown by ea lie esea ch esul s women p e e well-balanced emo ional and in e pe sonal ela ions a wo k, whe eas men a he app ecia e powe and money. These di e ences can also be ound in he wo k a i udes o highe educa ion s uden s. Wha may lie in he backg ound o di e se ca ee op ions and wo k a i udes a e iden i ica ion wi h adi ional gende oles and socializa ion o gende oles. In line wi h ou hypo hesis socially bene icial wo k, helping o he s, he secu i y, a ie y and challenge o he job a e impo an aspec s o he gi ls and also he ac ha mo e ime should be allo ed o he amily. Mo eo e high mo ale o he wo kplace and also mee ing people he e, iendly colleagues and eam wo k we e highly app ecia ed by gi ls. The sense o achie emen is also mo e impo an o hem, which pa ly can be explained by hei mino sel -con idence. In acco dance wi h di e se ca ee o ien a ions high sala y and achie emen -cen e ed job a e impo an o men, bu con a y o ou hypo hesis, esponsible wo k was mo e impo an o he gi ls. Beside also con a y o ou expec a ions wo king independen ly and good p omo ion op ions we e equally impo an o bo h o he gi ls and he boys. I is also in con adic ion wi h ou hypo hesis ha lexi ime and no oo exhaus ing jobs a e a bi mo e impo an o boys. I can be explained by he un ealis ic expec a ions o gi ls (Mickelson. 1989), namely gi ls may unde es ima e hei labou ma ke disad an age, and hey expec equal pa icipa ion by men in amily and childca e and also by boys’ g ea e demand o eedom and independence. In acco dance wi h ou hypo hesis a la ge numbe o boys wo k egula ly du ing hei s udies han gi ls and hei wo k is mo e closely ela ed o hei ield o s udies. The mo i a ions o doing wo k du ing hei s udies a e no di e en by gende , since mos o hem ha e no s a ed a amily, and he con lic be ween he asks o employmen and amily do no appea ye . Thus hei mo i a ions o employmen seem o be simila . Thus di e ences can be obse ed in he wo k a i udes and wo k expe ience o boys and gi ls. All in all he ac ha boys do wo k mo e egula ly du ing hei s udies and gi ls, bu in case o gi ls p epa ing o gende oles can also be mo i a ing when hey wo k as baby- si e s e.g. 24 METSZETEK 2014/2. szám also he ac ha hei wo k was mo e closely ela ed o hei s udies and high sala y and achie emen -cen e ed job a e mo e impo an o hem may con ibu e o hei la e labo ma ke success. Re e ences Al o jai, Szil ia – Róbe , Pé e (2006): Munkao ien áció, embe i őkemeg é ülés (Wo k O ien a ion and Human Capi al Re u n) In: Kolosi Tamás, Tó h Is án Gyö gy, Vuko ich Gyö gy (sze k.): Tá sadalmi ipo (Social Repo ) 2006 Budapes : TÁRKI, 314-333. Fényes, Hajnalka (2009a): Az el é ő nemi sze epekkel kapcsola os iselkedés a első okú jelen kezésben és in ézmény álasz ásban. (Di e en Gende Role Beha io in Highe Educa ion Applica ions and Choices o Educa ional Ins i u ions) Iskolakul ú a 2009/5-6. 106-112. Fényes, Hajnalka (2009b): Ho izon ális és e ikális szeg egáció az ok a ásban nemek sze in . (Ho izon al and Ve ical Seg ega ion by Gende in he Educa ion Sys em.) Iskolakul ú a 2009/10. 24-38. Fo ay R., Ka alin (1986): Ahol a nők előnyben annak. (Whe e Women a e in Ad an age.) Közne elés 1986/15. 3-4. Fo ay R., Ka alin (1989): Cigány iúk és lányok iskolai mo i ációi és e nikai iden i ása. (Educa ional Mo i a ions and E hnic Iden i y o Gypsy Boys and Gi ls.) Kul ú a és közösség 1989/4. 80-87. Fo ay R., Ka alin – Hegedűs T., And ás (1987): Nőies és é ias iskolázási maga a ások – iskolai ideológiák. (Feminine and Masculine Beha io a School- School Ideologies.) Magya Pedagógia 1987/3. 231-246. Koncz, Ka alin (2005): Női ka ie jellemzők: esélyek és ko lá ok a női éle pályán. (Female Ca ee Fea u es: Chances and Limi a ions in Female Ca ee s.) In: Palasik Má ia, Sípos Balázs (sze k.): Házas á s? Ve ély á s? Munka á s? A női sze epek ál ozása a 20. századi Magya o szágon. (Spouse? Ri al? Colleague? Changes in Women's Role in 20 h Cen u y in Hunga y.) Budapes , Nap ilág Kiadó 55-77. Kó ódi, Má a (2006): Munkaé ékek izsgála a egye emi és őiskolai hallga ók kö ében. (A S udy o Labo Values o Uni e si y and College S uden s.) In: Juhász E ika (sze k.): Régió és ok a ás. A „Regionális Egye em” ku a ás zá ókon e enciájának anulmánykö e e. (Region and Educa ion. A Symposium o he Regional Uni e si y Resea ch P ojec Con e ence.) Deb ecen, Dok o anduszok Kiss Á pád Közhasznú Egyesüle e, 289-300. Kó ódi, Má a (2007): Munkaé ékek izsgála a ké elsőok a ási in ézményben. (S udy o Labo Values in wo Highe Educa ion Ins i u ions.) Educa io 16. é . (2) 311- 322. Medgyesi, Má on - Róbe Pé e (1998): Munka-a i űdök: időbeli és nemze közi összehasonlí ás. (Wo k A i udes, In e na ional and Time Compa ison.) In: Kolosi Tamás, Tó h Is án Gyö gy, Vuko ich Gyö gy (sze k.): Tá sadalmi ipo (Social Repo ) 1998 Budapes : TÁRKI, 437-457.