The thesis analyses the educational achievement and subsequent career choice of males and females in Australia. It draws on Australian research both published and original. The conclusions reached are that sex role stereotypes have arisen largely from cultural processes developing historically from earliest civilization and modified by interactions with later forms of social organization. These stereotypes are internalized by each individual starting from earliest learning experiences and continuing throughout life. The learning of sex role stereotype tends to preserve traditional social stratification by inhibiting the development in women of those skills that would enable them to progress through education and careers to greater access to positions of authority. Not all women are so affected nor is that effect confined to women. Differences in teacher expectation, differences in school organization, and differences between States in terms of Matriculation requirements reduce or increase differences between the sexes in achievement. Some positive steps are being taken by education authorities to reduce sex differences in educational opportunity.