Title
Life history and developmental correlates of female vocational preferences: a multivariate study
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
Copyright Date
1990
Language
en
Proquest ID
AAI9100497
File Format
application/pdf
File Size
225 pages
Recommended Citation
Reichel, Laura Sherrick, "Life history and developmental correlates of female vocational preferences: a multivariate study " (1990). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 9409.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/9409