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Abstract
The present dissertation consists of three studies that explored diverse aspects of the relationship between social-contextual factors and womens career development. The first study focused on Korean female work-bound adolescents, examining the influence of career-related supports provided by schools and families on adolescents career adaptability and job satisfaction. Results showed that female work-bound adolescents job satisfaction was significantly affected by career adaptability and school and family supports. Findings also showed that female adolescents job satisfaction was less influenced by career adaptability than that of men. The second study investigated gender differences in occupational aspirations using a newly developed psychometric instrument, the Subjective Occupational Aspiration Scale. Results showed that men and women did not differ in their overall level of subjective occupational aspiration, suggesting that gender socialization did not significantly differentiate between mens and womens internal longings or preferences regarding occupations. However, women who aspired to traditionally female jobs had lower subjective occupational aspirations than women who wanted traditionally male jobs. The third study identified career patterns of U.S. college-educated women during mid-career using economic attainment as an indicator of their career attainment. Also, the third study examined the influence of family on womens career patterns. Five distinct career patterns were identified. The majority of women in this study belonged to the sustained growth group in which womens economic attainment increased continuously and consistently. The other four groups showed either sporadic or limited economic attainment patterns. Sustained growth women appeared to be less involved in family responsibilities than women in the other four groups. This study also revealed a noticeable influence of fathers on womens career patterns. Across all the groups, job satisfaction appeared to be the same. Overall, the findings of the three studies help enhance the understanding of the influence of environmental factors on womens career development.