Spherical model of interests in Croatia

In order to analyze the validity of spherical model of interests in Croatia, three Croatian samples of primary school students (N = 437), secondary school students (N = 540) and university students (N = 630) were administered a translated version of the Personal Globe Inventory (PGI, [Tracey, T.J.G. (2002). Personal Globe Inventory: Measurement of the spherical model of interest and competence beliefs Monograph. Journal of Vocational Behavior 60, 113–172.]). Three aspects of model validity were analyzed: the three-dimensional underlying structure of interest items, spherical arrangement of interest scales and accurate gender mean differences in interests. Principal component analysis confirmed the existence of three substantial factors underlying interest items, whose orientation and meaning is moderately related to theoretical one. Randomization test firmly approved the spherical representation of interest scales and its structural stability across different age and gender groups. Gender differences in interest were close to previous findings and logical expectations. Results have shown firm evidences of validity and gender and age universality of spherical model in Croatian adolescent and young adult samples.     

利益冲突

探讨利益冲突的概念及其要素,影响利益冲突的可能因素。利益冲突的危害,并在探讨这些问题基础上提出处理利益冲突的若干措施。     

WHOSE INTERESTS ARE THEY,ANYWAY?

This review both praises Richard Miller's book--a thoughtful, judicious, and comprehensive analysis of bioethics for the pediatric age group, notably the first effort worthy of the name--and points out the work still to be done in this area, work firmly based in and illuminated by Miller's ground-breaking thesis. Specifically, the book rightly compels us to recognize obligations of beneficence as primary and to refocus on the child's basic interests, rather than putative "best" interests. There remains much to be done in defining and discerning basic interests and in distinguishing whose interests are on the table when decisions are being made for seriously ill and dying children.     

Correspondence of children's anticipated vocations, perceived competencies, and interests: Results from an Italian sample

Relations among anticipated vocations, self-assessments of competence, and interests in sample of 190 Italian children were examined. Children were asked what activities they liked, those they thought they were good at, and what job they expected when they grew up. The responses were coded into RIASEC Holland codes and agreement across the three questions was examined using kappa statistics. Results indicated that there was no relation between anticipated occupations and either interest or perceived competence. Thus, these anticipated occupations appear to be based on unrealistic criteria and the validity of studying such early expressions of interest is questionable. Conversely, results demonstrated a correspondence between interest and competence and this correspondence was similar for boys and girls and increased with age.     

利益冲突的调节机制

利益的平衡取决于相关利益群体参与政策过程的能力的平衡.成立患者权利保护协会,使患者以组织化方式有效参与卫生改革的政策过程,制衡相关利益群体的利益最大化诉求,是平衡卫生服务领域利益冲突的根本途径.     

Non-instrumental roles of science

Nowadays, science is treated an instrument of policy, serving the material interests of government and commerce. Traditionally, however, it also has important non-instrumental social functions, such as the creation of critical scenarios and world pictures, the stimulation of rational attitudes, and the production of enlightened practitioners and independent experts. The transition from academic to 'post-academic' science threatens the performance of these functions, which are inconsistent with strictly instrumental modes of knowledge production. In particular, expert objectivity is negated by entanglement with political and commercial interests. We cannot go back to the old academic model for science, but need to consider how to maintain its vital non-instrumental roles.     

The Expanded Skills Confidence Inventory: Measuring basic dimensions of vocational activity

This series of studies describes the development and psychometric evaluation of 17 scales measuring confidence or self-efficacy with respect to basic domains of vocational activity. The confidence scales assessed previously measured interest dimensions such as Writing, Mechanical Activities, and Public Speaking, but also included dimensions reflective of recent changes in the nature of work or the culture of the workplace, for example, Using Technology, Creative Production, and Cultural Sensitivity. The scales were internally consistent, showed predictable patterns of gender differences and similarities, and were in generally most highly related to the predicted Holland confidence theme. Discriminant analyses of scores across the eight largest occupational groups represented indicated large improvements over chance, or a priori probabilities, in the prediction of occupational group membership. Further research on and use of these 17 new scales in joint interpretations of parallel measures of interest and confidence are discussed.     

Stability and change in interests: A longitudinal examination of grades 7 through college

The joint issue of stability and change of interests in adolescence and early adulthood was investigated longitudinally over three years in three different grade cohorts. The patterns of structural stability, mean stability, rank order stability, and profile stability as well as how these patterns were moderated by gender were examined based on three cohorts of grades 7 and 8 (n = 3191), grades 9 and 10 (n = 6818), and grades 11 and 12 (n = 1078) using the Personal Globe Inventory-Short (Tracey, 2010). Results indicated that adherence to the RIASEC circular model was high and stable; there was a lack of appreciable change in interest means; interests were stable; interest crystallization, profile, and pattern were stable. While the results supported late adolescence and early adulthood being a stable period for interests in general, more changes were found among male and younger students. The implication of the current study was discussed along with its limitations and suggestions for future research.     

Social cognitive influences on Mexican Americans’ career choices across Holland’s themes

This study examined several propositions of social cognitive career theory ( [Lent et al., 1994] and [Lent et al., 2000]) with a sample of 393 Mexican American college students. It was hypothesized that person input (i.e., age) and background contextual variables (i.e., Anglo orientation, Mexican orientation, familism, instrumentality, and expressivity) would predict career self-efficacy across Holland’s (1997) six RIASEC types. In addition, we examined the proposed relations between career self-efficacy, career interests, and career choice goal across the six RIASEC areas. Our results indicated that (a) Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional career models were similar across gender and university affiliation groups, (b) gender differences were found in the Realistic career model, (c) institutional affiliation differences were found in the Investigative career model, and (d) the models were a good fit to the data. Implications for future vocational research and career interventions are discussed.