Occupational Situs, Prestige, and Stereotypes

Abstract

Attempting to discover a classification scheme that discriminates stereotypes persons hold regarding members of different occupations, we construct an experiment varying occupations across three levels of occupational prestige within each of three categories of occupational situs. Within this design, 168 respondents each rate members of three occupations on six personality dimensions. Analysis of these data demonstrates that occupational prestige influences perceptions of intelligence, responsibility, and assertiveness. Perceptions of likeability, emotion ality, and rebelliousness also discriminate members of different occupations, but do so independently of both occupational prestige and the "rationality" cluster of perceptions defined above. Occupational situs proves ineffective in systematically differentiating perceptions on these six personality traits.