| Abstract: | A sample of workers rated the members of 20 selected occupations in terms of their perceived competence, altruism, truthfulness, and power. A comparison sample of college students rated these occupations on the same dimensions and on status. The results generally supported Rotter and Stein's argument that members of the general public have stable beliefs concerning the characteristics of members of different occupations, but not their contention that members of the more powerful occupations are seen more negatively than members of less powerful positions. The data also indicated that the attitudinal ratings of the occupations were affected by individual differences in locus-of-control orientation, with externally oriented people rating more of the members of the occupations more unfavorably than ones with internal orientations. |
