Publication: The scarring effect of "women's work": The determinants of women's wttrition from male-dominated occupations
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2014-09-01
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Oxford University Press
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Abstract
Women’s entry into formerly male-dominated occupations has increased in recent decades, yet
a significant outflow remains. This study examines the determinants of women’s exits from
male-dominated occupations, focusing on the effect of previous occupational trajectories. In
particular, it hypothesizes that occupational trajectories in female-dominated occupations are
often imbued with meanings and beliefs about the (in)appropriateness of the worker, which
adversely affect women’s integration and chances when they enter the male sector. Using the
NLSY79 dataset, the study analyzes the job histories of women employed in the United States
between 1979 and 2006. The results reveal a disproportionate risk of exit among newcomers
from female-dominated occupations. Also, women who re-enter the male field are more likely
to leave it again. Altogether, the findings challenge explanations based on deficiencies in the
information available to women at the moment of hiring. The evidence points to the existence
of a “scar effect” of previous work in the female field, which hinders women’s opportunities in
the male sector and ends up increasing the likelihood of exit.
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Gender revolution, Sex Segregation, United-States, Male-female, Employment, Jobs, Mobility, Managers, Earnings, Race
Bibliographic citation
Torre, M. (2014). The Scarring Effect of «Women’s Work»: The Determinants of Women’s Attrition from Male-Dominated Occupations. Social Forces, 93 (1), pp. 1-29.