2008 Woodie Awards
Many male students put relationships before careers
New study breaks stereotypes of gender roles in prioritizing relationships above personal goals and work. The study finds more women rank career success as a No. 1 priority while more men rank relationships first.
Cynthia Retamozo
Issue date: 9/24/07 Section: Sex
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When researchers at Duke University Medical Center and the University of Albany reviewed the results of their study on personality traits in relation to life goals, some were surprised by the results.
The results challenged the preconceptions that women are more likely to prioritize relationships above personal achievements, like careers and financial success. The study showed that men were in fact more likely to place relationships above careers, and women were more likely to do the opposite.
The study had 237 undergraduate students from around the country complete questionnaires measuring life goals and personal achievements. The full results will be published in the next issue of Springer Journal, Gender Issues, a magazine that publishes research on the relationships between men and women, according to their website.
Similarly, 40 Northeastern undergraduate students (20 males and 20 females) were given a list of seven priorities and achievement goals and were asked to rank them numerically. The list consisted of the categories financial success, health/physical fitness, religion/spirituality, romance/marriage, family/friends, career/education and contribution to society.
The results of the nonscientific study showed that those surveyed generally placed family and friends first and religion and spirituality last. As far as relationships go, sixteen of the males who were surveyed placed romance/marriage in their top four, while 13 of the surveyed females placed it in their top four. In addition, eight males ranked romance/marriage above career/education while only five females did the same.
These results surprised some students, including middler English major Kendall Philbrick.
"I always thought that women are generally much more nurturing and emotional," she said. "And men don't really like to show their emotions, so it's interesting that it takes a private survey to get them to show it."
Sophomore electrical engineering major Michael Nedoroscik said he thinks the reason females seem to be more career-oriented than males is because of the role gender plays in career status.
The results challenged the preconceptions that women are more likely to prioritize relationships above personal achievements, like careers and financial success. The study showed that men were in fact more likely to place relationships above careers, and women were more likely to do the opposite.
The study had 237 undergraduate students from around the country complete questionnaires measuring life goals and personal achievements. The full results will be published in the next issue of Springer Journal, Gender Issues, a magazine that publishes research on the relationships between men and women, according to their website.
Similarly, 40 Northeastern undergraduate students (20 males and 20 females) were given a list of seven priorities and achievement goals and were asked to rank them numerically. The list consisted of the categories financial success, health/physical fitness, religion/spirituality, romance/marriage, family/friends, career/education and contribution to society.
The results of the nonscientific study showed that those surveyed generally placed family and friends first and religion and spirituality last. As far as relationships go, sixteen of the males who were surveyed placed romance/marriage in their top four, while 13 of the surveyed females placed it in their top four. In addition, eight males ranked romance/marriage above career/education while only five females did the same.
These results surprised some students, including middler English major Kendall Philbrick.
"I always thought that women are generally much more nurturing and emotional," she said. "And men don't really like to show their emotions, so it's interesting that it takes a private survey to get them to show it."
Sophomore electrical engineering major Michael Nedoroscik said he thinks the reason females seem to be more career-oriented than males is because of the role gender plays in career status.
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