Interests and Attitudes Testing

Teresa Simpson

Lauren Buckley

Sharon Baird

Interest Inventories: Current Setting

Technical Advances in test constructionDouglas N. Jackson

PRF – Personality Research Form

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Self-Directed Search (SDS)

Developed by John Holland Organized around interests Procedure calls for self-rating of abilities

and reported competencies

Significant Trends (Sharon Baird)

Inventory Development and Use Models of Occupations Opinion Surveys and Attitude Scales Locus of Control

Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorHistory

History: Isabel Briggs Myer & Katharine MyersBased on Carl Jung’s theory of

psychological typesCreated in 1943

Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorCost

MBTI Form M Profile - $9.20Mostly used by career counselors

FIRO-B Profile and Leadership Report Using FIRO-B and MBTI - $27.80Leadership training for Career Service

Professionals Maintain certification for administering

the MBTI - $275.00

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

Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorSample Test Questions

Please review handout being passed around

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

Benefits of the Strong

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Scoring

All scores are reported as standard scores with a mean of 50 and SD of 10

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

Cost of the Test

$300. setup fee $11.20 each test

The Discover Test (Sharon Baird)