Differential Psycho-Social Factors as Predictors of Female Academicsa Career Growth and Leadership Positions in Universities in South-West Nigeria

Abstract

Recent studies affirm that academic women are a minority and have slow career mobility growth compared to their male colleagues and almost invisible in leadership positions, therefore excluded from power structure. These have been attributed to culture, socialisation, conditioning and selfperception of the women themselves. However, differential psycho-social factors predicting female academics' career in Nigerian Universities are yet to be examined. This study, therefore, affirmed the efficacy or otherwise of differential psycho-social predictors of female academics' career growth and leadership positions in Universities in South-West Nigeria. This research adopted a descriptive survey research design of the ex-post facto type. Multistage sampling involving purposive and stratified random techniques were used to select 587 respondents from six Universities in South-West Nigeria. Five hundred and thirty eight Female Academics from Graduate Assistants to Professors, three hundred male Academics, (senior lecturers) sixty members of appointment and promotion committee participated in the study. Female Academics Psychological Questionnaire (R=0.82), Social Factors Questionnaire (R=0.87), Female Academics Career Growth Questionnaire (R=0.79) and Female Academics Leadership Questionnaire (r=0.84) were used for data collection. Twelve research questions were answered. Data were analysed using multiple regression.