======== TEST 1 PART B ========
According to the sociologist, there is evidence that children may avoid certain careers because they have _____6____
In the survey, what the investigators wanted to get was the children’s ____7_____
Besides physicists, lawyers, engineers, sales representatives and estate agents, what other professions are also investigated? _____8____
]’he vast majority of children thought engineering was a ____9_____
When asked about how they imagined the engineer as a person, the majority of children chose ____10_____
Interviewer: Well, we heard some people just now who seem to feel that other peo-
ple have a wrong idea about the work they do. Do you think this sort
of thing is very widespread?
Sociologist: Oh absolutely. Most jobs or professions seem to have an image or a
stereotype attached to them, often much to the irritation of the job
holders. But there is a serious point to all this, too, that maybe young
people actually choose their careers under the influence of these false
images. And certainly, there is evidenee that they may even avoid ear-
tale careers because they have a negative image.
Interviewer: Er, you say there’s evidence?
Sociologist: Oh most definitely. There was a survey recently into children’s atti
tudes to different professions.
Interviewer: How was that done though? Because, after all, children don’t know
much about the world of work before they get into it.
Sociologist: Well, exactly, What the investigators wanted to get st was their im-
pressions and their prejudices. They used a very simple technique.
They gave the children twelve pairs of statements. In each pair one
statement was positive, the other was its opposite.
Interviewer, For example?
Sociologist: Well, for example, ‘Such and such a person is likely to be boring or
interesting company. ‘
Interviewer: I see. What professions did they ask about?
Sociologist: (laughs) Do you want the whole list?
Interviewer: Well. why not?
Sociologist: OK. Here goes, They looked at: physicists, lawyers, engineers, sales
representatives, estate agents, economists, accountants and biolo-
Interviewer: And the results?
Sociologist : Well. they were rather striking concerning one profession in partieu
lar, the poor old engineer. Of all the jobs mentioned, he came out re-
ally much worse that you might expect. The vast majority of children
thought that engineering was a ‘dirty job’. They also thought the job
was of ‘low status’ and ‘subordinate’; that is the engineer is more
likely to take orders that to gave them. Oh, and insecure too. But, I
must say there were good points too, Engineering was seen to be ‘in-
teresting, well paid’ work.
Interviewer, Hmm, not such a rosy picture, really.
Sociologist: No… but it got better when the children were asked about how they imagined the engineer as a person. The majorty of the children chose positive comments, except that they thought the engineer was likely to be badly rather than well dressed.