The female life course: life situations and perception of control

The adult life course can be divided into socially defined age status periods differentiated not only by members' chronological age, but also by their experience within the family and work life cycles and degree of socially accorded rights, power, and privilege. The effects of individuals' social age status (adolescence, adulthood, retired adulthood) and gender on subjective perception of control and personal efficacy in familiar life situations from three domains (work, home, school) are examined within a multivariate cohort study. Results indicate that the adults, regardless of gender, perceived the greatest direct personal control or indirect control through the ability to influence powerful others. The adult females perceived a greater degree of influence on powerful others than adolescent or retired females, but the same as males of any status period. The implications of these results for the female life course are discussed.