Are there gender differences in work ethic? An examination of the measurement equivalence of the multidimensional work ethic profile

Previous research has indicated that males and females differ on their reported levels of work ethic. However, previous studies have relied upon work ethic inventories with limited generalizability, and no study has evaluated the invariance of measures. This study examined measurement invariance by exploring the differential item and test functioning of one work ethic inventory, the multidimensional work ethic profile (MWEP; Miller, Woehr, & Hudspeth, 2002) for male and female respondents. Results did not indicate that the MWEP functioned differently by gender at the test or item level. Hence, work ethic as measured by the MWEP does not carry different socially constructed meanings for men versus women. We also conclude that in contrast with previous research, women do not have a higher level of work ethic than men.