The role of self-efficacy and social belonging in Norwegian upper secondary students’ interest in gendered occupations

Abstract This study examined how self-efficacy and expected social belonging influence Norwegian upper secondary students’ interest in gender-dominated and gender-balanced occupations. A survey of 205 students assessed their self-efficacy, expected social belonging, and vocational interest for 12 occupations presented with short descriptions. Results indicated a preference for gender-matching occupations: girls showed more interest in women-dominated occupations, while boys preferred men-dominated ones. In line with Social Cognitive Career Theory, both girls’ and boys’ self-efficacy and expected social belonging similarly predicted their vocational interests. This finding contrasts with other studies that may have conflated gender composition of occupations with their status. However, self-efficacy and expected social belonging do not fully account for the preference for gender-matching occupations. Notably, girls’ expected social belonging was more strongly associated with interest in gender-balanced and women-dominated occupations than in men-dominated ones, whereas no such pattern was found for boys.