This research is concerned with describing and accounting for changes in the social compositon of occupations. It uses a model based on an ecological theory of competition. Niche overlap--shared sociodemographic characteristics among occupations--is expected to create competitive pressures that lead to changes in an occupation's basic niche. The model is tested using data from the Current Population Survey Annual Demographic Files. %%% This research will contribute to sociological understanding of why occupations vary in composition according to age, gender, race, and similar characteristics and why occupations change their compositon over time. This information should be of help to policy makers concerned with efforts to encourage occupational diversity. In addition to the scientific gains to be achieved by the research, this award will materially assist a highly promising student in completing research for the Ph.D. dissertation. Thus it contributes to the future scientific manpower of the nation and the thorough training of the next generation of social scientists. This research is concerned with describing and accounting for changes in the social compositon of occupations. It uses a model based on an ecological theory of competition. Niche overlap--shared sociodemographic characteristics among occupations--is expected to create competitive pressures that lead to changes in an occupation's basic niche. The model is tested using data from the Current Population Survey Annual Demographic Files. %%% This research will contribute to sociological understanding of why occupations vary in composition according to age, gender, race, and similar characteristics and why occupations change their compositon over time. This information should be of help to policy makers concerned with efforts to encourage occupational diversity. In addition to the scientific gains to be achieved by the research, this award will materially assist a highly promising student in completing resear ch for the Ph.D. dissertation. Thus it contributes to the future scientific manpower of the nation and the thorough training of the next generation of social scientists.
