Looking through the Glass Ceiling: A Qualitative Study of STEM Women's Career Narratives.
Looking through the Glass Ceiling: A Qualitative Study of STEM Women's Career Narratives.
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DOI：
10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00236
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发表时间：
2017
影响因子：
3.8
通讯作者：
Amon MJ
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Amon MJ
尽管已经努力提高女性在科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)职位上的地位，但很少有研究直接研究女性在男性刻板印象的学科中提升的视角和自下而上的战略。本研究利用参与性行动研究方法PhotoVoice来确定在传统上由男性主导的领域中构成妇女经验的主题。PhotoVoice使参与者能够通过照片传达他们独特的经历，并通过个人叙事传达他们对社区的深入了解。46名STEM女研究生和博士后以小组形式完成了PhotoVoice活动。他们展示的照片描述了他们在STEM领域寻求领导职位的经历。发现并分类了三种类型的叙事：职业策略、成就障碍和缓冲策略或管理障碍的方法。参与者描述了三种常见的职业战略和激励因素，包括专业发展、合作和社会影响。此外，这些工作场所活动缺乏奖励被视为限制了专业效率。在取得成就的障碍方面，妇女表示，她们不被视为权威人物，往往努力通过建立积极的关系来建立合法性。女性对他人的观点保持警惕，这在时间和精力上都是昂贵的。为了管理角色期望，包括与性别有关的期望，参与者全天进行多次角色转换，以适应工作场所的需求。为了缓冲取得成就的障碍，参与者在成就感和认同感中找到了弹性。社会支持，特别是来自导师的支持，帮助参与者应对负面经历，并展望他们在该领域的未来。工作与生活的平衡也帮助参与者在工作中找到了意义，并对自己的生活有了一种控制感。总体而言，常见的工作场所挑战包括缺乏社会资本和自由度有限。对组织政策和未来研究的意义进行了讨论。
Although efforts have been directed toward the advancement of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) positions, little research has directly examined women’s perspectives and bottom-up strategies for advancing in male-stereotyped disciplines. The present study utilized Photovoice, a Participatory Action Research method, to identify themes that underlie women’s experiences in traditionally male-dominated fields. Photovoice enables participants to convey unique aspects of their experiences via photographs and their in-depth knowledge of a community through personal narrative. Forty-six STEM women graduate students and postdoctoral fellows completed a Photovoice activity in small groups. They presented photographs that described their experiences pursuing leadership positions in STEM fields. Three types of narratives were discovered and classified: career strategies, barriers to achievement, and buffering strategies or methods for managing barriers. Participants described three common types of career strategies and motivational factors, including professional development, collaboration, and social impact. Moreover, the lack of rewards for these workplace activities was seen as limiting professional effectiveness. In terms of barriers to achievement, women indicated they were not recognized as authority figures and often worked to build legitimacy by fostering positive relationships. Women were vigilant to other people’s perspectives, which was costly in terms of time and energy. To manage role expectations, including those related to gender, participants engaged in numerous role transitions throughout their day to accommodate workplace demands. To buffer barriers to achievement, participants found resiliency in feelings of accomplishment and recognition. Social support, particularly from mentors, helped participants cope with negative experiences and to envision their future within the field. Work-life balance also helped participants find meaning in their work and have a sense of control over their lives. Overall, common workplace challenges included a lack of social capital and limited degrees of freedom. Implications for organizational policy and future research are discussed.