ABSTRACT
The process of occupational socialization during childhood has been shown to be developmental in nature, and to follow an age-related pattern largely in accord with that which has been shown or presumed to govern children’s growth in general. Sex differences, while numerous, were rarely of magnitude as to support the claim that male and female children differ drastically in their general views of the world of work. On the other hand, on those items specifically concerned with sex-role differentiation in terms of childwork, sex-typed imagery, aspirational levels, and traditional sex-role preferences and projections, observed differences were not only consistently in predictable directions, but quite often very substantial. From the sociological perspective, the significance of what has been learned about children’s work orientations may be summed up in terms of three key words: patterns, subcultures and attachment. This chapter also presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters this book.
