How high school students view women: The relationship between perceived attractiveness,occupation, and education

The proportion of women seeking advanced degrees in the sciences and engineering was no greater in the 1970s than it was in the 1920s. This study seeks to determine if the stereotype of an unattractive professional woman is a factor in dissuading young women from pursuing careers in these fields. Twenty slides of women were rated by 301 male and female high school students for attractiveness, occupation, and educational background. There was a positive correlation, significant at the .001 level, between women perceived to have taken traditionally masculine courses, those perceived to have careers in professions generally viewed as masculine, and those perceived to be more physically attractive. The formerly held stereotype of the studious, career-oriented girl who is unattractive appears to be changing and should not discourage high school girls from seeking academic excellence.