The purpose of this study is to examine how both the gender role identity and the achievement motivation influence the career maturity of the second graders in high school. It also analyzes whether the achievement motivation can work as the mediator f...
The purpose of this study is to examine how both the gender role identity and the achievement motivation influence the career maturity of the second graders in high school. It also analyzes whether the achievement motivation can work as the mediator for the differentiation of the gender role identity and the career maturity. Based on these results, this study is intended to obtain some basic data that need to be used at schools and home in order to enhance the career maturity of high school students and help them make independent decisions for the future.
In this study self-reporting questionnaires were used for 610 students from 5 different high schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi of Korea. The test instruments employed in this study were the Gender Role Identity Test developed by Kim, Hye-Rae(2003), the Achievement Motivation Test by Yu, Chang-Leol(1984), and the Career Maturity Test by Lee, Ki-Hak & Han, Jong-Cheol(1997).
The results of this study were as follows:
First, the gender role identity made significant differences in the achievement motivation. The students in the androgyny type showed higher motivation than the other three types (masculinity, feminity, undifferentiated). On the other hand, the students in the undifferentiated type indicated lower motivation than the other three types of the students (masculinity, feminity, differentiation).
Next, the gender role identity also made striking differences in the career maturity. The androgyny and masculinity types showed higher the career maturity than the feminity and undifferentiated types.
Finally, there were positive correlations between the differentiation of gender role identity, the achievement motivation, and the career maturity. In particular, the differentiation of the gender role identity and achievement motivation were highly correlated. The result of the hierarchical regression revealed that the achievement motivation worked as the mediator for the influence of the gender role identity on the career maturity.
This study concludes that high school students need to be taught in accordance with the gender role identity to improve their achievement motivation and career maturity. To that end, a teacher should make every effort to create the androgynous classroom atmosphere where students'' achievement motivation can be maximized. Furthermore, a teacher keep in mind that the career maturity can improve through the achievement motivation which form the gender role identity. Consequently, a teacher should focus on designing a career guidance program that can facilitate students'' achievement motivation.