Work

Exploring the Changing Meaning of Work for American High School Seniors From 1976 to 2005

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: Using data from the Monitoring the Future study, this paper presents historical trends in U.S. high school seniors' work values across 30 years (1976 to 2005. Adolescents across three decades highly valued most aspects of work examined. Recent cohorts showed declines in the importance of work, values for job security, and various potential intrinsic rewards of work. After increasing until 1990, adolescents remained stable in their values for extrinsic and materialistic aspects of work until 2005. The value of work that allows for leisure time has steadily increased. Stable level differences in work values emerged for adolescents by gender, race, parents' education, and college aspirations. Findings have implications for understanding the changing meaning of work for the future workforce.

Source: Youth & Society

DOI: 10.1177/0044118x10381367

Authors: Laura Wray-Lake, Amy K. Syvertsen, Laine Briddell, D. Wayne Osgood, Constance A. Flanagan

Institutions: Pennsylvania State University, Claremont Graduate University, Search Institute, University of Richmond, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Language: English

Topic: Education and Work Dynamics

Subfield: Demography

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: green

Funders: Johnson and Johnson, National Institute on Drug Abuse