Class Exercise: “How Would People Rate
These Occupations?”
This class activity can be
modified to take anywhere from 15-75 minutes of class time.
Its purpose is to illustrate
core constructs in the theory in a way that also taps class members’ own experiences
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The rating
task is especially useful for introducing the following constructs
·
Occupational map: A key part of the Circumscription and Compromise theory is the occupational map. The rating task shows
that people share essentially the same occupational map because each group (and
all members in the group) will rate occupations in essentially the same way
according to prestige and sextype. (There will be
variation, of course, but all groups will produce highly similar graphs.) Note:
Children begin to perceive and take seriously the sextype
and prestige dimensions of work during the elementary school years and by age
13 share the same maps as adults.
·
Social self-concept: An important aspect of the shared occupational map is
that it relates mostly to the social,
not the psychological, aspects of work—briefly, what kind of life an occupation
provides outside of work.
·
Circumscription: By depicting the entire world of work, the occupational map helps
illustrate the process of circumscription.
Young people begin circumscribing (narrowing) their choices early in childhood
without even realizing it. According to the theory, they first rule out
sections of the map that are too masculine (if a girl) or too feminine (if a
boy). They won’t reconsider these rejected options unless something forces or
encourages them to. By age 9 or so, they begin to rule out occupations that are
too “low” (in prestige) or too “high” (in education and ability requirements).
·
Social space (zone of acceptable alternatives): What is left after circumscription is the child’s social space—the sectors of the
occupational world where they assume are socially suitable for them. This space
often leaves out options for which the person actually has the interest and
ability.
1.
This exercise
should be handed out at the previous class meeting so that students can
complete their ratings of all occupations on the list before coming to class.
It wastes time to have students do it in class.
2.
Break students
into small groups when they get to class. Ask each group to pool their ratings
to come up with a combined group rating for each occupation on the rating
sheet.
3.
While they are
pooling their ratings, draw an empty figure (see below) for each group on the
chalkboard. Draw and label both axes (prestige and sextype).
4.
Groups will fill
in the figures based on their combined ratings. Ask each group to write each
occupation’s name in their empty figure according to the combined rating the
group gave it for sextype and prestige. Each group
should fill in its figure as soon as they finish getting a combined group
rating for each occupation.
5.
If necessary, all
these steps can be completed before class to save in-class time.
6.
If groups
aggregate their ratings during class, circulate among them to observe and ask
questions.
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Figure:
The shared occupational map
·
Show this figure on
an overhead transparency projector after all groups have finished putting their
ratings on the blackboard.
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Supplementary graphics
& cartoons
·
Can be used to
illustrate many constructs in the theory