Strong Vocational Interest Blank basic interest clusters and occupational satisfaction

A Q-factor analytic technique applied to the Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB) basic interest scales of 156 males yielded three bipolar factors described as conceptual (applied vs theoretical thinking); interpersonal (people vs things); and volitional (autonomy vs structure). From these results the investigators constructed a model for categorizing occupations into corresponding vocational areas: managerial vs academic, social vs physical sciences, and professional vs technical. Each individual's primary interest area and occupational status relative to the six corresponding areas was then determined. The degree of fit between interests and job categorization related significantly to ratings of job satisfaction (p < .001). Those findings are complementary to Holland's notion that interests are expressions of psychological needs and to Lofquist and Dawis' perception of interests and jobs as needs and need reinforcers.     

Organizational communication,performance, and job satisfaction as a function of ethnicity and sex

Regression analysis was used to examine simultaneously the effects of supervisors' and subordinates' ethnicity and sex on organizational communication, supervisory-rated performance, and job satisfaction. The study indicates that female subordinates differentially perceive organizational communication. It also identifies interactions between the sex of the supervisor and subordinate on communication and between the ethnicity of the superior and subordinate on supervisory-rated performance. There were limited impacts of sex and ethnicity on job satisfaction.     

The Vocational Preference Inventory scores and environmental preferences

This study investigated the relationship between vocational interest as measured by the Vocational Preference Inventory and preferences of 175 undergraduates for structured or unstructured environments. Males having clear-cut preferences for structured situations had significantly higher Realistic-Conventional scores than those not having those preferences (p < .05). Additionally, males with structured preferences had significantly lower Social-Artistic scores (p < .025). Results for females were similar, but not statistically significant. Males also had significantly higher (p < .01) Realistic-Conventional scores than females. The significant relationships between VPI scores and preferences for structured and unstructured situations support Holland's contention that interest scores are expressions of personality needs.     

Sequencing of vocational development stages: Further studies

This paper reports two studies which support the prediction derived from Hershenson's (Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1968, 15, 23–30) life-stage vocational development model that average scores on Self-differentiation (worker self-concept and motivation) would exceed those on Competence (work habits, skills, and interpersonal relations), which in turn would exceed those on Independence (appropriateness and crystallization of vocational goals). The first study involved ratings by project staff on an inner city, socially disadvantaged population, and the second study involved self-ratings by individuals who had changed occupations in midcareer. Findings are consistent with those reported by Hershenson and Langbauer (Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1973, 20, 519–521) on a population of deaf clients.     

Relationship of vocational maturity to work values

This study examined the relationship of vocational maturity to work values. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) Vocational maturity is positively related to differentiation of work values within subjects. (2) Vocational maturity is positively associated with intrinsic work values and negatively associated with extrinsic work values. Sixty-two subjects enrolled in remedial reading at a community college were administered the Vocational Development Inventory-Attitude Scale and the Work Values Inventory. Data analyses supported hypothesis 1 for females, but not for males, and partially supported hypothesis 2.     

Relationships among vocational training,income, and job complexity of high school dropouts and high school graduates

High school dropouts (N = 100) and high school graduates (N = 100), of which half of each group had received vocational training and the other half had not, were compared on data taken from the inactive employment applications of the Fort Walton Beach, Florida State Employment Office. The sample (N = 200) consisted of an equal number of males and females while 30% were minority group members. A two-way analysis of variance showed that completing vocational training was positively correlated with higher income and job complexity level. The existence or absence of vocational training was a more potent influence on income level and job complexity than was completion of high school.     

The moderating effects of occupation,age, and urbanization on the relationship between job satisfaction and life satisfaction

A considerable body of research has accumulated concerning the strength of the relationship between job and life satisfaction. However, very few studies have examined the possible moderating effects of other variables. The present study, using a sample of 911 heads of households, examined the moderating effects of seven variables related to occupation, age, and urbanization. As hypothesized, education and income positively, and strongly, moderated the job satisfaction-life satisfaction relationship. Self-employment (vs non-self-employment) also had a significant impact; occupation, though, had only a modest effect. Age and job longevity exhibited strong, curvilinear effects. Urbanization did not attenuate the relationship. In view of national work force trends toward increased education, professionalization, income, and age, the relationship between job and life satisfaction will likely become stronger and more relevant over time.     

Expressed and inventoried vocational interests as predictors of college graduation and vocational choice

This is a follow-up study of 195 agricultural students originally tested when they entered college in 1970. Students whose Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB) patterns were consistent with their stated choice of major were the congruent sample. Students whose SVIB patterns were inconsistent with their stated choices of major were the discrepant sample. A follow-up was made on graduation rates, eventual major, and job placement. Discrepant subjects changed major more often but graduated at the same rate as congruents. The SVIB did not seem to add anything to the student's expressed interests in predicting college continuation. There was a trend for congruent graduates to more frequently take jobs which matched their majors.     

Evaluating job satisfaction and success for emotionally maladjusted men

Work histories of male psychiatric patients were compared to see if they varied as a function of psychiatric diagnosis. It was predicted that there would be significant differences between diagnostic groups for types and levels of jobs held, amounts of job success achieved, and levels of job satisfaction attained. All three predictions were supported. Results indicated that the more severe the maladjustment, the less likely the men were to have been employed above the semiskilled level of occupations. Job satisfaction and job success were found to vary as a function of the personality characteristics of the different diagnostic groups. A direct relationship was found between severity of psychiatric disorder and unemployment time. Implications are discussed.     

Being imitated, conformity, and social influence: An integrative review

The recently developed literature on the effects of being imitated and the social influence function of imitation are reviewed, as is related literature on conformity from social psychology. Then, this research is considered within a number of theoretical contexts, but especially within the conceptual framework of Byrne's elaboration of effectance motivation. Finally, questions are raised which need to be addressed in future research.     

Masculinity-femininity perceptions of job requirements and their relationship to job-sex stereotypes

Perceived sex appropriateness of the work situation is believed to constrain work opportunities, particularly for women. However, sex appropriateness may be defined either with respect to the entire job or with respect to the tasks which comprise the job. In this study sex appropriateness of job tasks was examined by obtaining subjective estimates of the masculinity-femininity of the job requirement dimensions defined by the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT). Results indicate that interacting with things is perceived as masculine, interacting with people is perceived as feminine, and interacting with data is perceived as falling between the other two. There is less agreement on the masculinity-femininity of specific types of interactions with data, people, and things. Sex appropriateness of specific requirements was found to be only moderately associated with the DOT's assessment of the complexity of those requirements. Further, sex appropriateness of job requirements was not highly related to the job sextypes established by Shinar (Shinar, E. H. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 1975, 7, 99–110) and Krefting et al. (Krefting, L. A., Berger, P. K., and Wallace, M. J. Jr. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 1978, 13, 181–191). This suggests that sex appropriateness of a job and sex appropriateness of the tasks which comprise the job are distinct, separate concepts.     

Goal-setting attributes,personality variables,and job satisfaction

The relationships between four goal-setting attributes identified by factor analytic procedures and job satisfaction were investigated among 271 scientists and engineers at a nuclear research and development center. Positive relationships between the goal-setting attributes and satisfaction were found. Further, it was found that need for achievement, need for autonomy, and need for affiliation as measured by the Gough Adjective Checklist did not significantly moderate the goal-setting attribute-job satisfaction relationships.     

Implementing self-concept in vocational choice in the Arab Middle East

Considerations for adopting self-concept theory in vocational choice for the Arab Middle East were explored examining three limitations. The extent to which these limitations (freedom to choose occupations, availability of options, and psychological readiness) operate in the Middle East was identified. It was concluded that the self-concept theory of vocational choice is not yet viable for this area of the world. However, as the process of modernity takes place, the area can be an excellent proving ground for predictions.     

Effects of attack and uncontrollable noise on aggression

After being either attacked or treated in a more neutral manner by an experimental confederate, male subjects shocked the confederate while being stimulated by loud noise. Among previously attacked subjects, possession of control over offset of the noise led to the delivery of shocks significantly shorter in duration than those given by subjects who did not have control. Mere predictability of noise offset did not have the same effect. Subjects who could control the noise did not differ from those who heard no noise with respect to the duration of shocks given. Noise had no effect on shock duration among nonattacked subjects. In a follow-up study subjects who were given bogus information that they were aroused by noise were less punitive toward an attacking confederate than subjects given no such information. The overall conclusion is that noise facilitates aggression in subjects who have been instigated to aggress to the degree that noise-produced arousal is misattributed to the instigating stimulus.     

Perceptions of labor market variables by college students in business,education, and psychology

The perceptions of psychic and economic rewards available in different occupations, the perceptions of psychic and economic costs of preparing for these occupations, and the perceived availability of jobs for college majors in business, education, and psychology is examined. The findings indicate that these different majors have quite similar perceptions of these variables despite major differences in occupational choices. Further analysis examines the relationships of these variables to occupational choice for these three groups of college majors. Although the perceptions of rewards and costs have limited independent relations to measures of occupational choice, benefits-to-costs comparisons are highly related to occupational choice for all three groups of college majors.     

Desiring and expecting to work among high school girls: Some determinants and consequences

The effects of mother's and father's work status and of social-psychological intervening variables on high school girls' orientation to the labor force are examined. The dependent variables are separate indicators of whether the girls want and whether they expect to have an occupation. In these data from 1965, a log linear analysis shows that whether the mother worked was the major background influence on the dependent variables; father's occupation had no significant independent effect. In addition, two “ideological” variables, the girl's identification with the mother and beliefs in individual achievement, strongly influenced the dependent variables, in a way that did not merely mediate the background effects. Finally, some consequences of wanting and/or expecting to work are examined, and it is argued that the choice of career pattern (housewife versus paid employment) was a central one in girls' attitudinal structures.     

Managerial career stage and facets of job satisfaction

The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between a three-stage model of careers (establishment, advancement, and maintenance) and facets of managers' job satisfaction. Four hundred eighty-three managers responded to a questionnaire regarding the length of time they had been in their occupation and their satisfaction with various aspects of work. The results indicated that career stage moderated managers' satisfaction with all facets of work. Specifically, managers in the establishment stage were significantly more satisfied than those in the advancement and maintenance stages with five of the six facets studied. Further analyses indicated that the first year in the occupation accounted for the differences in satisfaction obtained in the three-stage model. The results are discussed in terms of the implications for the study of managerial careers and the need for consistency in the operational definition of career stages.     

Relative influence of sex composition on job desirability

The purpose of this study was to examine the relative influence which the sex composition of a job exerts on its perceived desirability. The influence of job sex composition was studied in relation to three other factors: security, suitability of type of work, and company recognition. Ninety-five college students rated 108 job profiles on desirability based on various combinations of the four factors studied. The results indicated that sex composition exerted the least influence on job desirability while security and suitability of type of work exerted the greatest influence. It is suggested that past research focusing on the sex composition of a job as a determinant of its desirability has produced findings which are primarily a function of the research method utilized.