The purpose of the study was to investigate the paradox of the contented working woman within high school officiating. The paradox contends women receiving lower salaries than males will express higher pay satisfaction and comparable job satisfaction within their line of work (Buchanan, 2003). Moreover, the phenomenon is apparent within male dominant industries such as sport. Post Title IX, high school and collegiate sport entered tremendous change as men's and women's sport organizational structures were merged and not held independent of one another allowing men to be more dominant in sport organizations (Parks et al., 1995). More specifically, males occupy the majority of the population of officials within sport (Coakley, 2007). As such, we contended if women officials received lower pay, and expressed comparable pay and job satisfaction to male officials the paradox would exist in high school officiating.
Method
Data were collected through a web-based survey sent to active officials affiliated with an association of sports officials within a large southern state (n = 1024).
Analysis/Results
The sample was representative of the general population of high school officials, as males comprised 85% of the respondents. Further, based on officiating one high school academic year, the average pay women officials ($1,212) received was substantially less than the average pay for male officials ($2,000). Moreover, it is important to note that women officiated fewer games overall compared to men. Women reporting significantly lower salaries than their male counterparts fulfill one condition of the paradox of the contented working woman. To further investigate the paradox, job and pay satisfaction were assessed. Results indicated marginal means scores of job satisfaction of women (M = 6.1; SD = .66) are comparable to job satisfaction reported by males (M = 6.2; SD = .64). Additionally, the results indicated a significant gender difference in regards to pay satisfaction, F (1, 1023) = 8.83, p < .01. Women officials (M = 3.6; SD = 1.1) reported higher pay satisfaction over male officials (M = 3.3; SD = 1.2).
Conclusions
Following the paradox of the contented working woman, these results suggest the paradox exists in high school officiating. Women officials generally report lower average pay, and express comparable job satisfaction and higher pay satisfaction. The paradox may exist in officiating due to social references and differing value systems among women professionals. The gender imbalance within officiating warrants future research on the employment expectations of women officials in relation to individual outcomes.
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