ABSTRACT
Drawing on earlier concerns with alienation (Seeman 1959), research on work orientations has distinguished between intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of the job (Centers and Bugental 1966; Herzberg et al. 1959; Rosenberg 1957). Intrinsic aspects refer to the work itself while extrinsic factors are things related, but not integral to, the job. One important extrinsic dimension has to do with people, working with or helping them; the other has to do with rewards such as salary, advancement, and job security (Rosenberg 1957). Studies of students (Herzog 1982; Lueptow 1980; Rosenberg 1957) have consistently shown strong female orientation toward the interpersonal factors and male orientation toward the other extrinsic rewards. When there are differences in intrinsic orientations, females generally hold stronger intrinsic values than males. These differences have persisted from the 1950s to the 1980s, in spite of changes in occupational preferences over that period (Herzog 1982; Lueptow 1980). Studies of working populations show fewer differences in values, but when they do occur, they are consistent with the differences observed in student populations.
