Document Type
Essay
Publication Date
Spring 2025
Abstract
Men hold a disproportionate share of high-paying jobs, leading to an uneven distribution within the workforce. Possible rationalizations behind the formation of the occupational gap can be narrowed down to two factors: institutional barriers and personality differences. Accounts of prestigious organizations intentionally underrepresenting women in academic spheres, in addition to the persistence of societal norms can explain the observed distribution. Other perspectives insist that sex determines one’s behavior in selecting a life-long occupation, where a woman’s instinct to nurture and develop interpersonal connections leads them to choose fields that necessitate these characteristics. Compiling data from mainstream companies like Apple who seek to reduce the gap, we have determined that the implementation of gender quotas and DEI training can result in positive strides towards the elimination of the gap.
Recommended Citation
Sideris, Mia, "The Influence of Institutional Barriers and Personality on Gendered Occupational Choice" (2025). Richard T. Schellhase Essay Prize in Ethics. 31.
https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/ethics_essay/31
Comments
First prize winner.