Interests and Attitudes Testing

1. Interests and Attitudes Testing Teresa Simpson Lauren Buckley Sharon Baird

2. Interest Inventories: Current Setting • Technical Advances in test construction • Douglas N. Jackson • PRF – Personality Research Form

3. PRF – Different Options in Development • Parallel forms (A, B and AA, BB) of 300 and 400 items • Longer forms provide 22 scale scores based on 20 items • Including 2 validity scores, infrequency and desirability • Shorter forms have only 15 20-item scales • Form E consists of 352 of the best items

4. Faking and Social Desirabilities • Subject to the possibility of deliberate misrepresentation • Although, evidence of the success with which respondents can dissemble on personality inventories is plentiful.

5. Interest Inventories: Jackson Vocational Interest Survey (JVIS) • Measured two dimensions: work roles, and work styles • Contains 34 basic interest scales • Covers 26 work roles and 8 work styles • Designed to be equally applicable to men and women

6. Jackson Vocational Interest Survey • Norms were derived from large samples of college and high school students in the U.S. and Canada • Can be hand-scored quickly • Scores modeled after Holland’s six themes • Include the 10 General Occupational Themes

7. Kuder Occupational Interest Survey • Developed by Frederic Kuder • Earliest tests used forced-choice triad items • Scores were obtained for 10 broad interest areas • Can be scored on site or through publisher • Can be administered and scored on computer

8. KOIS (cont.) • Provides both occupational scores and 10 broad, homogeneous basic interest scores, labeled Vocational Interest Estimates (VIE). • The VIE are percentile scores derived from short scales equivalent to the 10 interest area scores of the Kuder Preference Record.

9. KOIS (cont.) • They can be converted to the Holland theme bodes by direct correspondence for some scales and by averaging percentiles on two or three Kuder scales for others.

10. Career Assessment Inventory- The Vocational Version (CAI-VV) • Released in 1975 • Similar to the Strong • Designed specifically for persons seeking a career that does not require a four-year college degree or advanced professional training. • 305 inventory items grouped under three content categories: Activities, School Subjects, Occupations. • Written at a 6th grade reading level.

11. CAI-VV (cont.) • Provides scores on three scales: Holland’s General Theme scales, 22 homogeneous Basic Interest Area scales, and 91 Occupational scales • Also included are Administrative Indices and four Nonoccupational scales

12. Self-Directed Search (SDS) • Developed by John Holland • Organized around interests • Procedure calls for self-rating of abilities and reported competencies

13. Significant Trends (Sharon Baird) • Inventory Development and Use • Models of Occupations • Opinion Surveys and Attitude Scales • Locus of Control

14. Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorHistory • History: • Isabel Briggs Myer & Katharine Myers • Based on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types • Created in 1943

15. Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorCost • MBTI Form M Profile - $9.20 • Mostly used by career counselors • FIRO-B Profile and Leadership Report Using FIRO-B and MBTI - $27.80 • Leadership training for Career Service Professionals • Maintain certification for administering the MBTI - $275.00

16. Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorReports • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Profile) • Step II for the Profile • Interpretive Report • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Career Report • Strong and MBTI Career Report

17. Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorSample Test Questions • Please review handout being passed around

18. Strong Interest Inventory • Named after E.K. Strong • Developed in the 1920’s • Used for career and educational choices • Used to help people understand job dissatisfaction • Used for those hiring or educating others

19. Achieve satisfaction in your work Identify career options consistent with your interests Choose appropriate education and training relevant to your interests Maintain balance between your work and leisure activities Understand aspects of your personality most closely associated with your interests Determine your preferred learning environments Benefits of the Strong

20. Learn about your preferences for leadership, risk taking, and teamwork Use interests in shaping your career direction Decide on a focus for the future Direct your own career exploration at various stages in your life Benefits of the Strong

21. Holland’s Themes • Investigative(I) individuals prefer investigative careers such as biochemist, orthodontist, anthropologist, economist, researcher, and management analyst. The I type usually has mathematical and scientific abilities, enjoys working alone, enjoys research, and likes to solve problems. The I type generally favors working with ideas rather than with people or things. People describe the I type as being: analytical, curious, methodical, rational, cautious, independent, precise, reserved, complex, intellectual, and modest.

22. Holland’s Themes Realistic(R) individuals prefer realistic careers such as mechanical engineer, production planner, building inspector, safety engineer, and marine surveyor. The R type usually has mechanical and athletic abilities, enjoys working outdoors, and likes to work with tools and machines. The R type generally prefers to work with things rather than people. People usually describe the R type as being: conforming, frank, genuine, humble, modest, practical, natural, persistent, and thrifty.

23. Holland’s Themes • Artistic(A) individuals prefer artistic careers such as architect, copy writer, technical editor, story editor, composer, stage director, interior decorator, and commercial designer. The A type usually has artistic skills, enjoys creating original work, and has a good imagination. The A type usually enjoys working with ideas rather than things. People describe the A type as being: open, imaginative, original, intuitive, emotional, independent, idealistic, and unconventional.

24. Holland’s Themes • Social(S) individuals prefer social careers such as teacher, clinical psychologist, psychiatric case worker, personnel manager, paralegal assistant, and speech therapist. The S type usually has social skills, is interested in human relationships, and likes to help others with problems. The S type likes to work with people rather than with things. People describe the S type as being: helpful, responsible, warm, cooperative, idealistic, sociable, tactful, friendly, kind, sympathetic, generous, patient, and understanding.

25. Holland’s Themes • Conventional(C) individuals prefer conventional careers such as accountant, cost clerk, bookkeeper, budget analyst, and business programmer. The C type enjoys working with words and numbers. People describe the C type as being: conforming, practical, careful, obedient, thrifty, efficient, orderly, conscientious, and persistent.

26. Holland’s Themes • Enterprising(E) individuals prefer enterprising careers such as public relations representative, financial planner, real estate agent, sales representative, stockbroker, and attorney. The E type usually has leadership and speaking abilities, is interested in economics and politics, and likes to be influential. The E type likes to work with people and ideas rather than things. People describe the E type as being: adventurous, energetic, optimistic, agreeable, extroverted, popular, sociable, self-confident, and ambitious.

27. Scoring • All scores are reported as standard scores with a mean of 50 and SD of 10

28. Reliability • Median retest reliability for a sample of 191 employed adults was .90 • For the Basic Interest Scales, .86 • For the General Occupational Themes, .89

29. Cost of the Test • $300. setup fee • $11.20 each test

30. The Discover Test (Sharon Baird)