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Eighty women from the field? of medicine and law, in careers ranging from very atypical to very traditional for women, were compared on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (Vocabulary and Block Design subtests), Bern Sex‐Role Inventory, Atkinson's measure of achievement motivation, and a childhood experiences questionnaire developed in conjunction with the study. Subjects in atypical, relative to those in typical careers were found to score higher 011 cognitive measures, psychological masculinity, and, in law, achievement motivation. Childhood experiences of women in atypical careers included: more traditionally masculine play patterns, greater unhappiness during adolescence, and less coercion by parents to fit a traditionally feminine stereotype.

A philosophical and epistemological analysis of the nature of scientific enquiry reveals that theory, in either a formal or informal sense, is centrally involved in every step of the investigative process from initial premise to final interpretation of the data. Given this, and the long‐standing recognition of the importance of theory in home economics, the paper concludes with an analysis and discussion of some of the reasons for a general absence of theory from home economics research, some possible benefits to be derived from greater attention to theory, and some suggested ways to enhance the role of theory in home economics research.

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