Toward a Theory of Professionalization

Abstract

A model of professionalization based largely on the power view is presented. As a test of a portion of the model, professional power is defined in terms of two dimensions of attitudinal autonomy. Autonomy from client and autonomy from employing organization are studied in a sample of 1,000 students representing eight different occupations (medicine, law, education, nursing, social work, librarianship, engineering, and business administration) in order to discover a systematic empirical referent for the concepts true, semi-, and mimic profession. As hypothesized, distinct attitudinal power profiles did emerge as characteristic of individuals socialized to various occupations.