The educational attainment of young women: role model effects of female high school faculty

Demography. 1999 May;36(2):185-94.

Abstract

To test for the presence of role model effects of female high school faculty and professional staff on young women in high school, we estimate several models of educational attainment for young women using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Exposure to female high school faculty and professional staff has a positive impact on the educational attainment of young women. This result, combined with our finding that female faculty and professional staff have no significant impact on the educational attainment of young men, supports a female role model hypothesis.

MeSH terms

  • Achievement*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Education / statistics & numerical data*
  • Faculty
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Least-Squares Analysis
  • Likelihood Functions
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Sex Factors
  • Social Identification*
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Students / psychology*
  • United States
  • Women / psychology*