Hansen, Gaylene (2014) Perceptions and Experiences of Motherhood, Work and Career - An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
This qualitative study investigated perceptions and expectations of motherhood, work, and career informed by evolutionary psychology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six women and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Three major themes emerged: ‘Family Matters’, the importance of family in women’s lives; The Child Comes First’, placing the needs of the child first and “Negotiating Motherhood’, the negotiation of resources to manage the requirements of family. This study has demonstrated that an examination of the perceptions and expectations of motherhood, work and career aligned closely with the fundament tenets of Robert Triver’s theories of parental investment theory, sexual selection and reciprocal altruism. The analysis identified the importance of family, time demands, workload, resources and a desire to spend time with and care for future children are motivating factors when participants negotiated future motherhood, work and career. Time pressures associated with combining motherhood and paid work are a major contributory factor in welfare disparity and gender inequality. It is suggested that evolved psychological mechanisms be considered when planning and implementing strategies for greater inclusion and empowerment of women in the workforce and society to alleviate the gap in socioeconomic status. These findings have implications for government policy making workplace interventions, education and research.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
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| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology, Counselling and Community (1 Jul 2013 - 31 Dec 2014) |
| Supervisors: | Jan du Preez |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Oct 2025 04:07 |
| Last Modified: | 14 Oct 2025 04:07 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | motherhood; family; child; evolutionary psychology; parental investment; work; interpretative phenomenological analysis; career; employment; |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52381 |
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