Which theory emphasizes that prestige and sex type are central factors in career choice?

• A. Genetic endowments
• B. Self-concept
• C. Prestige and sex type
• D. Work reinforcers

Answer: (C)

This item tests Gottfredson’s circumscription and compromise approach, which holds that career choices are shaped largely by two filters: prestige (how socially valued a job is) and sex type (whether a job is seen as appropriate for one gender). As children form ideas about work, they mentally categorize occupations by these dimensions, gradually narrowing options to those that fit their self-image and the gender norms they’ve learned. Later, they adjust or compromise among the viable choices when faced with real-world constraints like education, opportunities, and social expectations. That focus on how prestige and gender norms guide early career thinking is why this theory best fits the question. Other theories emphasize different drivers—innate abilities (genetic endowments), alignment with one’s self-concept, or responses to rewards in the work environment—rather than the specific influence of prestige and sex typing on career choice.