Gender differences in the association of a high quality job and self-esteem over time: A multiwave study

Keller, Anita; Meier, Laurenz L.; Gross, Sven; Semmer, Norbert K. (2015). Gender differences in the association of a high quality job and self-esteem over time: A multiwave study. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 24(1), pp. 113-125. Taylor & Francis 10.1080/1359432X.2013.865118

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High self-esteem often predicts job-related outcomes, such as high job satisfaction or high status. Theoretically, high quality jobs (HQJs) should be important for self-esteem, as they enable people to use a variety of skills and attribute accomplishments to themselves, but research findings are mixed. We expected reciprocal relationships between self-esteem and HQJ. However, as work often is more important for the status of men, we expected HQJ to have a stronger influence on self-esteem for men as compared to women. Conversely, task-related achievements violate gender stereotypes for women, who may need high self-esteem to obtain HQJs. In a 4-year cross-lagged panel analysis with 325 young workers, self-esteem predicted HQJ; the lagged effect from HQJ on self-esteem was marginally significant. In line with the hypotheses, the multigroup model showed a significant path only from self-esteem to HQJ for women, and from HQJ to self-esteem for men. The reverse effect was not found for women, and only marginally significant for men. Overall, although there were some indications for reciprocal effects, our findings suggest that women need high self-esteem to obtain HQJs to a greater degree than men, and that men base their self-esteem on HQJs to a greater extent than women.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology > Work and Organisational Psychology
07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology

UniBE Contributor:

Keller, Anita (A), Meier, Laurenz L., Gross, Sven (B), Semmer, Norbert Karl

Subjects:

100 Philosophy > 150 Psychology
300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology

ISSN:

1359-432X

Publisher:

Taylor & Francis

Projects:

[1036] Transitions from Education to Employment (TREE) Official URL

Language:

English

Submitter:

Sandra Hupka-Brunner

Date Deposited:

03 Apr 2014 11:33

Last Modified:

27 Jun 2024 09:43

Publisher DOI:

10.1080/1359432X.2013.865118

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.44505

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/44505

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