Effects of age on attitudes towards working women

Abstract

Examines attitudes regarding female labour force participation among people of different ages using National Opinion Research Centre Social Survey data. Focuses specifically on the factors associated with a pro‐feminist attitude. Demonstrates that younger people have more positive attitudes towards women working outside their homes than do older people. Men are less pro‐feminist in their attitudes than are women. Men and women disapprove of a woman working if preschool children suffer by her working. In addition to age and gender, the factors influencing attitude are income, education, religious beliefs, urban residence, born in this country, having young children in the family or expecting more children, and work years and job security. A supportive attitude for working women was associated with higher education, higher family income, residence in urban areas, liberal viewpoints, and uncertainty about having more children. The absence of correlation between employment of women and attitudes towards participation in the workforce and between marital status and attitude were especially surprising. Discusses economic, social and political implications of the findings.

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