A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MARRIED AND UNMARRIED WORKING WOMEN ON STEREOTYPES, SELF CONCEPT AND SELF EFFICACY

Abstract

The present study aimed at investigating the married and unmarried working women on stereotypes among students, the perception of self concept and the perception of others in terms of stereotypes, and the generalized self efficacy of married and unmarried working women. The present research is comprised of three studies in order to meet the above mentioned objectives. Study I consisted of four focus group discussions and four open ended qualitative individual interviews. The objectives were to explore the perception of people, and to understand the image and status of unmarried working women with reference to the cultural context of Pakistan. Study II was aimed at investigating the stereotypes about unmarried working women as compared to the married working women among students. To meet these objectives a sample comprised of 300 (Men =150) with the age range of 20-32 years (M=22.60, SD 3.10) and (Women=150) with age range of 20 – 27 years (M=21.50, SD= 3.23 was taken. The findings revealed satisfactory reliability for positive stereotypes (PSSC) and negative stereotypes (NSSC) scale of Ansari (1982). The findings of paired sample t-test showed significant differences on negative stereotypes about unmarried working women as compared to the married working women among students. The results of the study II also showed the significant gender differences on stereotypes about the married and unmarried working women among students. Study III was aimed at investigating the differences between the perception of self concept and the perception of others in terms of stereotypes, and the generalized self efficacy of unmarried working women as compared to the married working women. In order to meet the objectives of the Study III a sample comprised 100 (married=50) age range of 45 to 56 (M=47.78) and (unmarried=50) with same age range (M= 46.88) working women were taken. The findings of the study III also revealed satisfactory reliability for positive and negative scale of self concept and perception of others in terms of Stereotypes scale and the generalized self efficacy scale. The results showed a significant differences (p<0.01) between the perception of positive and negative self concept and the perception of others in terms of stereotypes among married and unmarried working women. The married and unmarried working women perceived themselves more positively on their self concept measure as compared to their perception of others in terms of stereotypes i. e., about each other. The results of the study III also revealed the non significant differences between the generalized self efficacy of married and unmarried working women. Which showed that married and unmarried working women had quite high believes of generalized self efficacy. Where as independent t-test showed the non significant differences between the self concept of unmarried and married working women. And non significant differences were also found between the perception of others in terms of stereotypes among married and unmarried working women about each others. The over all findings of the present study revealed that unmarried working women were perceived higher on negative stereotypes as compared to the married working women. And the perception of self concept is high (which means married and unmarried working women perceived themselves more positive on self concept) as compared to the perception of others in terms of stereotypes among married and unmarried working women.