The appropriateness of Holland's interest code typology for South African field guides
- Authors: Allen, Lynda Jean
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Personality and occupation -- South Africa , Vocational interests -- South Africa , Personality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9846 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/432 , Personality and occupation -- South Africa , Vocational interests -- South Africa , Personality
- Description: The foundational principles of Holland’s (1985b, 1992, 1997) vocational theory state that career choice is an expression of personality, in that individuals with specific personality types seek out work or learning environments that match their personality types. Furthermore, interest inventories such as the Self-Directed Search (Holland, Powell, & Fritzsche, 1994) can be regarded as personality inventories and used to ensure that individuals find themselves in a working environment that is best suited to their interests and personality type. In addition to instruments that measure interests, Holland also developed dictionaries of occupations coded according to the characteristics and interests of different occupations and working environments, such as the Dictionary of Holland occupational codes (Gottfredson & Holland, 1996). The level of congruence between personality types and occupational types is linked to career satisfaction, stability and achievement. This premise only holds true, however, if the codes for the occupational environment suggested by Holland (1985c) are, in fact, valid. In other words, do the codes suggested by Holland match the personality types of individuals entering or who are already employed in a particular work or learning environment? There have been many studies conducted with regard to the validity of Holland’s prescribed interest typology codes. Spokane, Meier and Catalano (2000) located a large number of empirical studies published since 1985 that relate directly to the validity of Holland’s codes, many of which have suggested that the existing codes may not be valid. There is a scarcity of such research in South Africa, especially with regard to vital and growing occupational fields, such as the ecotourism industry, that are so important to the economic well-being of the country. Consequently, the overall aim of the present study was to explore and describe the interest codes of male and female South African student and working field guides in order to discuss the appropriateness of the occupational codes prescribed by Holland for the field guiding profession. The quantitative design of the study was exploratory-descriptive in nature and made use of the Self-Directed Search Questionnaire (Holland, Fritzsche, & Powell, 1994). The total sample consisted of 100 participants (68 male and 32 female), constituting 40 working field guides and 60 field guide students. Descriptive analyses were conducted with the use of frequency tables, charts, means and standard ix deviations. In addition, Independent sample t-tests were computed in order to describe and compare the mean scores of the interests for males and females, and to compare the mean scores of the interests for student and working field guides. The results of this study suggest that the prescribed occupational code (SRI; Social, Realistic, Investigative) for South African field guides may not be appropriate and that an interest profile such as SREI AC may be more appropriate. These results, in combination with the findings of the research review, suggest the need for a more extensive, cross-cultural study to determine the appropriateness of Holland’s occupational codes for South African occupations, which may lead to a revision of the South African Dictionary of Occupations (Taljaard & von Mollendorf, 1987).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Allen, Lynda Jean
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Personality and occupation -- South Africa , Vocational interests -- South Africa , Personality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9846 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/432 , Personality and occupation -- South Africa , Vocational interests -- South Africa , Personality
- Description: The foundational principles of Holland’s (1985b, 1992, 1997) vocational theory state that career choice is an expression of personality, in that individuals with specific personality types seek out work or learning environments that match their personality types. Furthermore, interest inventories such as the Self-Directed Search (Holland, Powell, & Fritzsche, 1994) can be regarded as personality inventories and used to ensure that individuals find themselves in a working environment that is best suited to their interests and personality type. In addition to instruments that measure interests, Holland also developed dictionaries of occupations coded according to the characteristics and interests of different occupations and working environments, such as the Dictionary of Holland occupational codes (Gottfredson & Holland, 1996). The level of congruence between personality types and occupational types is linked to career satisfaction, stability and achievement. This premise only holds true, however, if the codes for the occupational environment suggested by Holland (1985c) are, in fact, valid. In other words, do the codes suggested by Holland match the personality types of individuals entering or who are already employed in a particular work or learning environment? There have been many studies conducted with regard to the validity of Holland’s prescribed interest typology codes. Spokane, Meier and Catalano (2000) located a large number of empirical studies published since 1985 that relate directly to the validity of Holland’s codes, many of which have suggested that the existing codes may not be valid. There is a scarcity of such research in South Africa, especially with regard to vital and growing occupational fields, such as the ecotourism industry, that are so important to the economic well-being of the country. Consequently, the overall aim of the present study was to explore and describe the interest codes of male and female South African student and working field guides in order to discuss the appropriateness of the occupational codes prescribed by Holland for the field guiding profession. The quantitative design of the study was exploratory-descriptive in nature and made use of the Self-Directed Search Questionnaire (Holland, Fritzsche, & Powell, 1994). The total sample consisted of 100 participants (68 male and 32 female), constituting 40 working field guides and 60 field guide students. Descriptive analyses were conducted with the use of frequency tables, charts, means and standard ix deviations. In addition, Independent sample t-tests were computed in order to describe and compare the mean scores of the interests for males and females, and to compare the mean scores of the interests for student and working field guides. The results of this study suggest that the prescribed occupational code (SRI; Social, Realistic, Investigative) for South African field guides may not be appropriate and that an interest profile such as SREI AC may be more appropriate. These results, in combination with the findings of the research review, suggest the need for a more extensive, cross-cultural study to determine the appropriateness of Holland’s occupational codes for South African occupations, which may lead to a revision of the South African Dictionary of Occupations (Taljaard & von Mollendorf, 1987).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Josephine Baker: a psychobiographical study
- Authors: Eckley, Shannon Rose
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Adlerian psychology , Baker, Josephine , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Personality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9865 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1007850 , Adlerian psychology , Baker, Josephine , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Personality
- Description: Psychobiographies examine an entire full life, from birth to death, with the aim of understanding the psychological development of that life. Psychobiographical research is a qualitative method of research, and is done by the use of both biography, and the application of relevant psychological theory. While the scientific merit of this type of research continues to be questioned and debated, interest in this area of research continues to grow on both a national, and international level. This particular research study aimed to explore the extraordinary and inspiring life of slave, dancer, singer, lover, soldier and mother, Josephine Baker (1906 – 1975), by applying Alfred Adler’s (1929) theory of personality namely, Individual Psychology. Josephine Baker was chosen by means of purposive sampling. The research study made use of a qualitative psychobiographical research method, which aimed to explore and describe the lived life and personality development of Josephine Baker, in terms of Alfred Adler’s (1929) theory of Individual Psychology. The data collection for this research study made use of a framework, as a means of selecting relevant data which formed a matrix, which in turn became a descriptive framework to organise and integrate the data (see Appendix A). The analysis thereof was done by the means of analytic generalisation (Yin, 1994). To assist in identifying salient data, analytical criteria namely, Alexander’s (1988) guidelines for the extraction of salient data were utilised (see Appendix B). This model also assisted in ensuring an accurate and complete description of Josephine Baker’s life in relation to the psychological theory used namely Alfred Adler’s theory of Individual Psychology. The findings of the study indicate that Josephine’s life paralleled Adler’s (1929) theory in many ways, and also indicated that the person she became was also strongly influenced by many familial, social, historical and cultural events of the time. This study has therefore shown that to date, there is still great value and relevance in Adler’s (1929) theory of Individual Psychology, even though it was proposed and developed almost a century ago. Consequently, recommendations regarding further psychiobiographical research in this area in the future have been made.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Eckley, Shannon Rose
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Adlerian psychology , Baker, Josephine , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Personality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9865 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1007850 , Adlerian psychology , Baker, Josephine , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Personality
- Description: Psychobiographies examine an entire full life, from birth to death, with the aim of understanding the psychological development of that life. Psychobiographical research is a qualitative method of research, and is done by the use of both biography, and the application of relevant psychological theory. While the scientific merit of this type of research continues to be questioned and debated, interest in this area of research continues to grow on both a national, and international level. This particular research study aimed to explore the extraordinary and inspiring life of slave, dancer, singer, lover, soldier and mother, Josephine Baker (1906 – 1975), by applying Alfred Adler’s (1929) theory of personality namely, Individual Psychology. Josephine Baker was chosen by means of purposive sampling. The research study made use of a qualitative psychobiographical research method, which aimed to explore and describe the lived life and personality development of Josephine Baker, in terms of Alfred Adler’s (1929) theory of Individual Psychology. The data collection for this research study made use of a framework, as a means of selecting relevant data which formed a matrix, which in turn became a descriptive framework to organise and integrate the data (see Appendix A). The analysis thereof was done by the means of analytic generalisation (Yin, 1994). To assist in identifying salient data, analytical criteria namely, Alexander’s (1988) guidelines for the extraction of salient data were utilised (see Appendix B). This model also assisted in ensuring an accurate and complete description of Josephine Baker’s life in relation to the psychological theory used namely Alfred Adler’s theory of Individual Psychology. The findings of the study indicate that Josephine’s life paralleled Adler’s (1929) theory in many ways, and also indicated that the person she became was also strongly influenced by many familial, social, historical and cultural events of the time. This study has therefore shown that to date, there is still great value and relevance in Adler’s (1929) theory of Individual Psychology, even though it was proposed and developed almost a century ago. Consequently, recommendations regarding further psychiobiographical research in this area in the future have been made.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The effect of perceptual skill of RFT scores : a cross-cultural study
- Authors: Marais, W F
- Date: 1977
- Subjects: Witkin, Herman A , Personality , Personality and culture -- Cross-cultural studies , Cross-cultural studies , Perception
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3285 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012838
- Description: The increasing need to select individuals for tasks suited to their personality make-up, has added to the challenge psychology faces of developing tests which can be applied to subjects from different cultures and environments. Many attempts at such designs litter the history of industrial and cross- cultural personality research. Among those to have survived years of reassessment, is the cognitive style approach developed by Herman Witkin. Intro., p. 1.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1977
- Authors: Marais, W F
- Date: 1977
- Subjects: Witkin, Herman A , Personality , Personality and culture -- Cross-cultural studies , Cross-cultural studies , Perception
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3285 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012838
- Description: The increasing need to select individuals for tasks suited to their personality make-up, has added to the challenge psychology faces of developing tests which can be applied to subjects from different cultures and environments. Many attempts at such designs litter the history of industrial and cross- cultural personality research. Among those to have survived years of reassessment, is the cognitive style approach developed by Herman Witkin. Intro., p. 1.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1977
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