Trends in Occupational Differentiation by Sex

Abstract

When Gross (1968) employed two measures of occupational differentiation by sex, he found little or no decline in differentiation over the period 1900-1960. However, the type of data he used and the statistical characteristics of his differentiation measures make these findings questionable. A replication using comparable census data produces contrary findings. When comparable occupations are employed and when occupational size is controlled, a modest decline in occupational differentiation by sex is noted over 1900-1960. Serious questions are raised, however, regarding the adequacy of measures of differentiation to analyze occupational differentiation over time.