Occupational Value Socialization in Business and Professional Families

Abstract

Different patterns of association between family relationships and male college seniors' vocational values were found in business and professional origin groups when four socioeconomic indicators were controlled. Familial closeness and communication were positively related to businessmen's sons' evaluation of extrinsic rewards; in the professional families, these variables tended to be positively related to sons' intrinsic concerns. Similarly, relationships between family variables and sons' values in the business origin group depended on the functional focus of the father's work.