Online supplement for Sheppard, L. D. (2018). Gender differences in leadership aspiration and job life attribute preferences among U.S. undergraduate students. Sex Roles.Leah D. Sheppard, Washington State University. Email:

Career Aspirations Scale

  1. I hope to become a leader in my career field.
  2. When I am established in my career, I would like to manage other employees.
  3. I do not plan to devote energy to getting promoted in the organization or business I am working in.
  4. When I am established in my career, I would like to mentor others.
  5. I hope to move up through any organization or business I work in.
  6. Attaining leadership status in my career is not that important to me.

oStrongly disagree (1)

oDisagree (2)

oSlightly disagree (3)

oNeither agree nor disagree (4)

oSlightly agree (5)

oAgree (6)

oStrongly agree (7)

Leadership Ability Scale

  1. I think I would be a good leader in my career field.
  2. When I am established in my career, I think I would be a good manager of other employees.
  3. When I am established in my career, I think I would do a good job mentoring others.
  4. I have the potential to be an effective leader.

oStrongly disagree (1)

oDisagree (2)

oSlightly disagree (3)

oNeither agree nor disagree (4)

oSlightly agree (5)

oAgree (6)

oStrongly agree (7)

Leadership Likelihood Scale

  1. When I am established in my career, I think I will have the opportunity to manage other employees.
  2. I think if I devote energy to getting promoted in the organization or business I'm in, I will be promoted.
  3. When I am established in my career, I think I will have the opportunity to mentor others.
  4. I believe I will have the opportunity to move up through any organization or business I work in.
  5. Attaining leadership status in my career is something that will likely happen for me.

oStrongly disagree (1)

oDisagree (2)

oSlightly disagree (3)

oNeither agree nor disagree (4)

oSlightly agree (5)

oAgree (6)

oStrongly agree (7)

Interest in Elite Leadership

To what extent do you want to eventually attain a very high-ranking leadership role, such as being the CEO (Chief Executive Officer), COO (Chief Operating Officer), or CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of a Fortune 500 company, or holding a high-ranking political position, such as being a senator or member of congress?

oNot at all (1)

oSlightly (2)

oSomewhat (3)

oQuite a lot (4)

oCompletely (5)

Positive and Negative Characteristics Associated with Elite Leadership

How closely do you associate high-ranking leadership positions -- such as the ones mentioned on the previous screen (e.g., CEO) -- with each of the characteristics below?

Use the sliding scales to indicate the strength of each association, from 0 (no association) to 100 (complete association).

  1. Stress
  2. Happiness
  3. Serenity
  4. Balanced lifestyle
  5. Frustration
  6. Responsibility

Acceptance of Promotion

Imagine that you are currently working in a middle-management position at a large and thriving marketing firm. You manage a team of about 20 employees and directly guide and oversee their creative work. You love your job and your organization. Outside of work, you are married and have two children, ages 10 and 12.Fifteen years into your career with this organization, you find yourself being offered an upper management role that would see you become creative director of the firm. This role comes with a salary bump and an obvious increase in status. However, despite the title of the role, you'd actually be less involved in the production of creative work and more involved in the strategy of your department and that of the firm. Also, the promotion would mean a lot more responsibility and, likely, more stress.

Would you accept the promotion?

Absolutely not (1) / Absolutely yes (7)

Job and Life Attribute Preferences Rankings

Think for a moment about the kind of career and life you would like to have. Keeping this in mind, please rank the following career and life values in order of their importance to you. For example, place a "1" in the box beside whichever value is MOST important to you. Place a "2" in the box beside whichever value is the NEXT most important to you...and so on.

Please do not give the same ranking to more than one value.

______Having a lot of responsibility and power at work

______Having a career I really enjoy

______Having a high salary

______Having good health

______Having a career I find very meaningful

______Having the opportunity to be in charge of people at work

______Having the opportunity to help others

______Being a good spouse/partner and parent

______Having very few worries about money

______Having a lot of career-related status

______Having a lot of respect and admiration

______Having a lot of love in my life

______Having plenty of leisure time

______Having very little stress

______Working with people who I like

Earner Expectations and Preferences

1.Who do you think will be the larger earner in your future marital home? (if you are not yet married)

(The larger earner is the person who makes the most money)

oMyself

oMy spouse/partner

2.Who would you prefer to be the larger earner in your future marital home? (if you are not yet married)

oMyself

oMy spouse/partner

oI have no preference.