Sex Differences in Psychosocial Perceptions toward Naval Work Environments

Abstract

The Insel and Moos' Work Environment Scale was used to assess expectations ac the time of occupational entry and perceptions in training and on the job for 200 Navy enlisted men and 200 Navy enlisted women working in health care jobs. A comparison by sex of these variables showed that the men and women entered naval work environments with different expectations of what would be encountered, but that once they had experienced the actual psychosocial climate they tended to perceive both the training and job environments in a similar manner. An exception to this general finding indicated that Navy administrators may be using different techniques for supervising the behavior of men and women. Furthermore the men and women working in ward environments tended to perceive the psychosocial climate very differently in contrast to the less substantial sex differences found in psychosocial perceptions toward other paramedical work settings. A need for further research on the influence of sex differences on supervisor-subordinate relationships is noted.