Work Satisfaction as a Function of Gender and Job Status

Male lawyers, female lawyers, and female legal secretaries were interviewed concerning their work satisfaction, the nature of their employment-related gratifications and deprivations, and their work values. The data showed that the three samples' responses concerning work-related gratifications, deprivations, and values were largely similar. When they differed, the splits tended to be along the lines of job status (lawyer vs. secretary) rather than along the lines of gender (male vs. female). In addition, lawyers tended to be more satisfied with their work than were secretaries.     

Institutional Affiliation and Satisfaction Among Feminist Professors

Do feminist professors of psychology who teach at women's colleges derive more satisfaction from their academic lives than feminist professors who teach at coed colleges or at (coed) universities? If one assumes that gynocentric environments are more pleasing to feminists, the answer should be "yes." Using questionnaire and interview data from 76 self-identified feminist psychology professors, we tested the expectation that feminist women teaching at women's colleges are more satisfied than their counterparts elsewhere. We found that feminist professors were generally satisfied with their pedagogical situations and were generally dedicated to and successful at teaching. Institutional affiliation produced little difference in satisfaction or practice, but feminists at women's colleges generally did feel more supported than feminists elsewhere.