Previous research on individual differences in career decision-making processes has often focused on classifying individuals into a few types of decision-making "styles" based on the most dominant trait or characteristic of their approach to the decision process (e.g., rational, intuitive, dependent; Harren, 1979). In this research, an…

Presents development of Holland's congruence theory in four layers: (1) vocational interest and occupational choices as dichotomy of fit/nonfit; (2) level of congruence between vocational interests and occupational choices; (3) environmental congruence; and (4) within-occupation congruence. Suggests integrative interpretation for variance found in…

Examined hypothesis that relationship between congruent specialty choice within occupations and satisfaction exceeds relationship between congruent occupational choice and satisfaction. Responses from 324 engineers, physicians, nurses, teachers, policemen, biologists, lawyers, and psychologists to appropriate within-occupation interest inventories…

Tests the hypothesis that students self-selecting themselves for different occupational fields differ in relevant values and interests. Industrial engineers have different work values and images of their subfield than other engineering specialists. In terms of type of student selecting engineering, the profession cannot be treated as an…

Tested models of interests by examining the significance of disconfirmed ordinal predictions. Examined data regarding Holland's hexagonal model and Roe's circular ordering. Tested adequacy of the hierarchical model and compared significance of the disconfirmed predictions of the hierachical model to that of the hexagonal-circular model. (Author)

Investigated relationship between vocational interests and location of an ideal occupation in the perceived occupational structure of career counselees. Career counselees (N=96) completed the RAMAK vocational interest inventory. Intrasubject analyses indicated the preferences for occupational fields as measured by the interest inventory reflected…

Compared perceived structure of occupations derived from judgmental data and behavioral data from 277 users of a computerized occupational information and guidance system. Structures derived from judgmental and behavioral data were found similar. Hierarchical and circular models of comparison are presented. (Author/KS)

Tested the predictive validity of Holland's constructs of congruence and consistency defined according to the hierarchical model for the structure of interests. A follow-up study of adults tested as high school seniors showed the hierarchical and circular models are of similar efficiency in predicting occupational choice satisfaction. (Author/JAC)

A study of the function of leisure activities shows: people select leisure activities congruent with their personality; people in congruent occupations were vocationally satisfied and conceived their preferred activities as an extension of the activities they do at work; people in incongruent occupations compensate by selecting compensatory…

The hypothesis tested was that authoritarian personalities prefer the natural sciences (specifically biology and chemistry) and nonauthoritarian personalities choose the social sciences and humanities (specifically, psychology and philosophy). (Author)

Elaborates on theoretical model concerning development and maintenance of interests in relation to three cognitive determinants: perceived abilities, expected success, and anticipated satisfaction. Conducted interpersonal design study, finding cognitive determinants highly correlated with interests. In intrapersonal design study, interests were…

Investigated construct of career maturity in United States and Israel by assessing attitudes about career decision making among U.S. and Israeli ninth and twelfth grade students on the Career Maturity Inventory (CMI). Indicated differences across cultures in career maturity and sex differences on some individual subscales of the CMI. Showed grade…

Suggested a model of decision making as a potential tool for assisting people in the process of career planning and tested the model on university students (N=40) and ninth-grade students (N=44). Concluded that the model had high predictive power regarding the actual choices made. (LLL)

Investigated mediating effect of sex role typing on relationship between gender and work preferences among 192 male and 292 female eleventh graders. Results showed that sex role typing mediated the relationship between gender and preference for socially oriented work values. (TE)