Degree Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

1990

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Paul M. Muchinsky

Abstract

The primary purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship among life history experiences, sex-roles, self-esteem and women's vocational preferences according to Holland's vocational typology. The sample consisted of 296 undergraduate female college students. Data were gathered via four questionnaires: the Strong Campbell Interest Inventory (Hansen & Campbell, 1985); the Biographical Questionnaire (Owens, 1971); the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (Bem, 1981); and the Self-Esteem Inventory (Coopersmith, 1987). Subjects were then classified according to Holland's vocational personality types;Both discriminant analyses and canonical correlations demonstrated the validity of using life history information, sex-roles and self-esteem to predict female vocational preferences. In particular, sets of biographical variables effectively discriminated among Holland personality types. This finding suggests the utility of using specific life history information to predict female vocational preferences. Because their overall discriminating power was not as great as that of biographical information, sex-roles and self-esteem seem to be of secondary importance in understanding women's vocational preferences. Moreover, since the variables that discriminated between particular Holland codes seemed to conform with Holland's description of those personality types, Holland's vocational theory appears to be generally applicable to college women.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31274/rtd-180813-9151

Publisher

Digital Repository @ Iowa State University, http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/

Copyright Owner

Laura Sherrick Reichel

Language

en

Proquest ID

AAI9100497

File Format

application/pdf

File Size

225 pages

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