Men and women choose different jobs because of nature, not nurture

Men and women pursue different jobs because of nature not nurture, a study suggests.

Around 500,000 adolescents in 80 countries were asked what career they expected to work in when they were 30-years-old.

In every country and region more boys than girls aspired to a “things-oriented” career, and more girls than boys wanted a people-oriented occupation, the study found.

The research replicated the findings of a similar study carried out more than 100 years ago in 1918, showing key differences in sex inform young people's career paths, the authors said.

In this latest analysis, researchers from the University of Missouri (MU) and the University of Essex found the differences were more pronounced in gender-equal countries such as Finland, Norway, or Sweden.

The researchers identified consistent gender-based differences and reported that biologically-influenced preferences could drive workplace segregation later in life.

Study co-author David Geary, professor of psychological sciences in MU's college of arts and science, said: "Sex differences in career choices and outcomes are often blamed on social factors, such as stereotypes and bias.

"Our study shows that many of these differences are universal and larger in equalitarian societies, suggesting there are biological influences on peoples' occupational preferences."

'Gender-equality paradox'

Prof Geary explained that their study confirms what they call a "gender-equality paradox", where increased levels of gender equality in a country, lead to larger sex differences, which is seen in occupational aspirations.

He said: "The sex differences in interest in things and people-oriented occupations were not only found throughout the world but mirror those found in a study done more than 100 years ago.

"The results are consistent across time and place, in keeping with inherent sex differences that make some activities more attractive to adolescent boys than girls and others more attractive to girls than boys."

Using data from the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment, the analysis showed, across all countries, 37 per cent of boys aspired to do a “things-oriented” career, such as a carpenter, engineer or mechanic, compared to nine per cent of girls.

Across all nations around 47 per cent of girls wanted a people-oriented career, such as a nurse or teacher, versus 15 per cent of boys.

In the US and the UK, the researchers found more than five boys for every girl aspired for a things-oriented occupation.

But the ratio was even greater in Sweden, where more than seven boys for every Finnish girl aspired to a things-oriented occupation.

On the other hand, in countries such as Morocco or the United Arab Emirates, where women are less empowered in politics, education, or health, the ratios were typically lower, or around two boys for every girl.

'Deeply built-in tendencies'

Gijsbert Stoet, a psychology professor at the University of Essex and study co-author, said: "Teenage boys and girls differ considerably in what they expect to work on at around age 30.

"The effects are largest in the countries where most people would expect the smallest differences.

"Their choices are likely a reflection of deeply built-in tendencies we see all over the world, but which express them most strongly in countries where adolescents are the least constrained by economic limitations."

The authors said the findings present a “policy-relevant conundrum” for politicians who have “regularly expressed a desire to reduce the number of students choosing stereotypical careers”.

More developed and gender-equal nations are failing to attract girls to “blue-collar” jobs, and the problem is “even more profound” in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, they said.

“This means that the more developed and gender-equal countries are a long way from closing the much-discussed gender gap in STEM and in many other relatively segregated occupations."

More research is needed to determine if there are specific sociocultural, educational, or economic factors that contribute to the gender split in career aspirations, they added.

The study was published in the PLOS ONE journal.