These data were collected in order to investigate the nature of and influences upon women's attitudes about feminine professional competence and the desirability of the career achievement role. The study focused on women's tendency to devalue feminine professional competence and the relationship of attitudes to career and the maternal model's attitudes and experiences. The sample was drawn from students at Swarthmore College, a small coeducational liberal arts college with rigorous intellectual standards. A two stage design was used. Participants were paid volunteers who were members of the student body of about 1100. Usable data were received from 110 female and 67 male students, with 22 of the female students serving as a control group. The first stage measure was an Articles Test to determine the influence of an author's sex on perceptions of the quality of a scholarly article. The second measure was a 26-item Likert-type attitude scale on the desirability of a career orientation in women, the compatibility of career and family roles, the femininity of career women, and women's ability to achieve intellectual excellence. The personal data sheet obtained information about parents' education and occupation, siblings, religion, and education. For the second stage of the research, participants were ranked according to the Articles Test. Of the 86 students tested, 22 were in the high quartile, and 22 in the low in their tendency to devalue feminine professional competence. Of those 44 students, 40 were interviewed in depth. Interviews lasted about 45 minutes and were taped. The interview dealt with maternal experiences, conflicts, feelings, and attitudes concerning work and the feminine role, fathers' attitudes, and the reactions of subjects to their mothers' choices and patterns. The Murray Center has complete raw data and audio tapes of the interviews.
