SEX DIFFERENCES IN OCCUPATIONAL CHOICE, PAY, AND WORTH: A SUPPLY-SIDE APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING THE MALE-FEMALE WAGE GAP

The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of adopting a supply-side approach to understanding the nature of wage differentials between men and women. Using an expectancy theory framework, a sample of 272 job applicants evaluated a set of job outcomes and rated the instrumentalities and expectancies for each of eight jobs that varied in terms of sex dominance, pay, and worth. Preferences for each job also were obtained using a paired comparison procedure. The results suggested that much of the wage gap between men and women can be explained by (1) evaluations of multiple outcomes other than pay and (2) gender-related differences in expectancies, instrumentalities, and valences with respect to these outcomes. Both the theoretical and practical utility of approaching the issue of comparable worth from a supply as well as a demand side are discussed.