Abstract
Ninety-six female and 96 male college students evaluated a briefly described adult female stimulus person on 24 7-point bipolar scales that described personality traits and professional performance characteristics. Each subject rated 1 of 8 mothers, who was described as either employed or nonemployed, either divorced or married, and as having either a 1-year-old or 11-year-old child. Employed mothers were viewed as less family oriented, but as more instrumental than nonemployed mothers. Divorced mothers were perceived as less well adjusted but more instrumental than married mothers. Employed mothers with a 1-year-old child were rated as most professionally competent, while employed mothers with an 11-year-old child were rated as most instrumental.
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Etaugh, C., Study, G.G. Perceptions of mothers: Effects of employment status, marital status, and age of child. Sex Roles 20, 59–70 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00288027
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00288027