Abstract
The problem of occupational gender segregation in Japan has not yet been resolved. Both men and
women are apt to choose occupations traditionally dominated by members of their own gender and avoid
those dominated by members of the opposite gender. The purpose of this study was to examine
occupational gender stereotypes and their relationships with self-efficacy and gender role attitudes. In
Study 1, occupational gender stereotypes and self-efficacy were assessed using the Masculinity-
Femininity (Mf) scale of the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI), which includes 7 male-dominated
occupations and 7 female-dominated occupations. Valid responses were obtained from 383 university
students (218 females and 165 males). The results showed that university students recognized
traditionally male-dominated occupations as masculine and female-dominated occupations as feminine,
regardless of their own gender. In Study 2, analyses of data from 565 women’s university students
demonstrated that occupational gender stereotypes were salient in female students with traditional gender
role attitudes, and that gender role attitudes moderated the relations between gender stereotypes and selfefficacy
for a few occupations which were recognized as gender neutral. These findings have
implications for career interventions focusing on gender stereotypes to support contemporary university
students.
