Career Choice and Career Strong’s recipe for test construction:
1. Select hundreds of items that could
Transition conceivably distinguish the interests of a person
by that person’s occupation
Personal Interests – considered closely related to
2. Administer this rough cut of the test to subjects
occupational fulfillment and success. as representative of certain occupations or
→ It may be sufficiently solidified by age 15, can be professions
useful in career planning. 3. Sort out which items seemed of interest to
persons by occupational group and discard
MEASURE OF INTEREST
items with no discriminative ability
Interest Measure – vocational assessment and pre- 4. Construct a final version of the test that would
employment counseling are instruments designed to yield scores describing how an examinee’s
evaluate test takers' likes, dislikes, leisure activities, pattern of interest corresponded to those of
curiosities, and involvements in various pursuits to people actually employed in various occupations
compare with people of various occupations and and professions.
professions. E.g., Psychology majors can see how closely their interests
→ Employers can use information about their paralleled those of working psychologists, and would
employees’ interest patterns to formulate job probably enjoy the work of a psychologist.
descriptions and attract new personnel. Other interest inventories:
→ I.e., Design an employment campaign Self-Directed Search (SDS) – explores interests within the
emphasizing job security if it is the chief interest context of Holland’s (1997) theory of vocational
of workers. personality types and work environments – vocational
The Strong Interest Inventory: choice is an expression of one of six personality types:
The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) – made in 1907 by RIASEC/Big 6 (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social,
psychologist G. Stanley Hall, which was the first measure Enterprising, or Conventional).
of interest. Minnesota Vocational Interest Inventory (MVII) – designed
→ It assesses children’s interest in various to compare respondents’ interest patterns with those of
recreational pursuits. persons employed in a variety of nonprofessional
occupations (such as stock clerks, painters, printers, and
Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB) – made in early
truck drivers).
1920s by Edward K. Strong Jr.
→ 420-item test, originally designed for use with MEASURES OF ABILITY AND APTITUDE
men only (published 1928, revised 1938)
The Wonderlic Personnel Test – it measures mental ability
→ 410-item test, for women (published 1935,
revised 1946) in a general sense.
→ 12-minute test, includes items that assess spatial
Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII) – a merged
skill, abstract thought, and mathematical skill
form of SVIB published in 1974, developed under the
(useful for jobs that require both fluid and
direction of David P. Campbell.
crystallized intellectual abilities).
Strong Interest Inventory, Revised Edition – latest version
The Bennet Mechanical Comprehension Test – a measure of
of SII (2004)
a testtaker’s ability to understand the relationship
→ Added new items to reflect contemporary career between physical forces and various tools (e.g., pulleys
interests (computer hardware, software, and and gears) as well as other common objects (carts, steps,
programming) and seesaws).
Hand-Tool Dexterity Test – mechanical test, requires the
test taker to take apart, reassemble, or manipulate
, materials, usually in a prescribed sequence and within a → Duration: 3 hours (whole test) – 50%
time limit. psychomotor tasks, 50% paper-and-pencil tasks
O’Connor Tweezer Dexterity Test – employer’s focus of → 12 timed tests that measure nine aptitudes →
interest is on prospective employee’s perceptual-motor divided into three composite aptitudes:
abilities, finger dexterity, and related variables (insert 1. General Learning Ability – derived from scores on the
brass pins into a metal plate using a pair of tweezers) Vocabulary, Arithmetic Reasoning, and Three-
The General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB) – made in 1947 Dimensional Space tests.
by U.S. Employment Service (USES), available for use by 2. Verbal Aptitude (V): Understanding the meaning of
state employment services, school districts, and nonprofit words and their relationships and using words
organizations (only w/ official permission from the effectively
government).
3. Numerical Aptitude (N): N is measured by tasks
→ Used to identify aptitudes for occupations, and it
requiring the quick performance of arithmetic
is a test just about anyone of working age can
operations
take
4. Spatial Aptitude (S): The ability to visualize and
→ Administered regularly at local state offices to
mentally manipulate geometric forms
people who want the agency to help find them a
job, to the unemployed, or to employees of a 5. Form Perception (P): Attention to detail, including the
company (as requested) ability to discriminate slight differences in shapes,
shading, lengths, and widths—as well as the ability to
perceive pertinent detail
6. Clerical Perception (Q): Attention to detail in written
or tabular material, as well as the ability to proofread
words and numbers and to avoid perceptual errors in
arithmetic computation
7. Motor Coordination (K): Ability to quickly make
precise movements that require eye–hand
coordination
8. Finger Dexterity (F): Ability to quickly manipulate
small objects with the fingers
9. Manual Dexterity (M): The ability to work with one’s
hands in placing and turning motions
→ Special Aptitude Test Battery (SATB) – version of
GATB used to selectively measure aptitudes for a
specific line of work.
→ GATB employs regression and validity
generalization (the same test-score data may be
predictive of aptitude for all jobs) for making
recommendations based on test results.
The five families of jobs:
1. Setting Up
2. Feeding and Off-Bearing
3. Synthesizing and Coordinating
4. Analyzing, Compiling, and Computing
5. Copying and Comparing
1. Select hundreds of items that could
Transition conceivably distinguish the interests of a person
by that person’s occupation
Personal Interests – considered closely related to
2. Administer this rough cut of the test to subjects
occupational fulfillment and success. as representative of certain occupations or
→ It may be sufficiently solidified by age 15, can be professions
useful in career planning. 3. Sort out which items seemed of interest to
persons by occupational group and discard
MEASURE OF INTEREST
items with no discriminative ability
Interest Measure – vocational assessment and pre- 4. Construct a final version of the test that would
employment counseling are instruments designed to yield scores describing how an examinee’s
evaluate test takers' likes, dislikes, leisure activities, pattern of interest corresponded to those of
curiosities, and involvements in various pursuits to people actually employed in various occupations
compare with people of various occupations and and professions.
professions. E.g., Psychology majors can see how closely their interests
→ Employers can use information about their paralleled those of working psychologists, and would
employees’ interest patterns to formulate job probably enjoy the work of a psychologist.
descriptions and attract new personnel. Other interest inventories:
→ I.e., Design an employment campaign Self-Directed Search (SDS) – explores interests within the
emphasizing job security if it is the chief interest context of Holland’s (1997) theory of vocational
of workers. personality types and work environments – vocational
The Strong Interest Inventory: choice is an expression of one of six personality types:
The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) – made in 1907 by RIASEC/Big 6 (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social,
psychologist G. Stanley Hall, which was the first measure Enterprising, or Conventional).
of interest. Minnesota Vocational Interest Inventory (MVII) – designed
→ It assesses children’s interest in various to compare respondents’ interest patterns with those of
recreational pursuits. persons employed in a variety of nonprofessional
occupations (such as stock clerks, painters, printers, and
Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB) – made in early
truck drivers).
1920s by Edward K. Strong Jr.
→ 420-item test, originally designed for use with MEASURES OF ABILITY AND APTITUDE
men only (published 1928, revised 1938)
The Wonderlic Personnel Test – it measures mental ability
→ 410-item test, for women (published 1935,
revised 1946) in a general sense.
→ 12-minute test, includes items that assess spatial
Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII) – a merged
skill, abstract thought, and mathematical skill
form of SVIB published in 1974, developed under the
(useful for jobs that require both fluid and
direction of David P. Campbell.
crystallized intellectual abilities).
Strong Interest Inventory, Revised Edition – latest version
The Bennet Mechanical Comprehension Test – a measure of
of SII (2004)
a testtaker’s ability to understand the relationship
→ Added new items to reflect contemporary career between physical forces and various tools (e.g., pulleys
interests (computer hardware, software, and and gears) as well as other common objects (carts, steps,
programming) and seesaws).
Hand-Tool Dexterity Test – mechanical test, requires the
test taker to take apart, reassemble, or manipulate
, materials, usually in a prescribed sequence and within a → Duration: 3 hours (whole test) – 50%
time limit. psychomotor tasks, 50% paper-and-pencil tasks
O’Connor Tweezer Dexterity Test – employer’s focus of → 12 timed tests that measure nine aptitudes →
interest is on prospective employee’s perceptual-motor divided into three composite aptitudes:
abilities, finger dexterity, and related variables (insert 1. General Learning Ability – derived from scores on the
brass pins into a metal plate using a pair of tweezers) Vocabulary, Arithmetic Reasoning, and Three-
The General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB) – made in 1947 Dimensional Space tests.
by U.S. Employment Service (USES), available for use by 2. Verbal Aptitude (V): Understanding the meaning of
state employment services, school districts, and nonprofit words and their relationships and using words
organizations (only w/ official permission from the effectively
government).
3. Numerical Aptitude (N): N is measured by tasks
→ Used to identify aptitudes for occupations, and it
requiring the quick performance of arithmetic
is a test just about anyone of working age can
operations
take
4. Spatial Aptitude (S): The ability to visualize and
→ Administered regularly at local state offices to
mentally manipulate geometric forms
people who want the agency to help find them a
job, to the unemployed, or to employees of a 5. Form Perception (P): Attention to detail, including the
company (as requested) ability to discriminate slight differences in shapes,
shading, lengths, and widths—as well as the ability to
perceive pertinent detail
6. Clerical Perception (Q): Attention to detail in written
or tabular material, as well as the ability to proofread
words and numbers and to avoid perceptual errors in
arithmetic computation
7. Motor Coordination (K): Ability to quickly make
precise movements that require eye–hand
coordination
8. Finger Dexterity (F): Ability to quickly manipulate
small objects with the fingers
9. Manual Dexterity (M): The ability to work with one’s
hands in placing and turning motions
→ Special Aptitude Test Battery (SATB) – version of
GATB used to selectively measure aptitudes for a
specific line of work.
→ GATB employs regression and validity
generalization (the same test-score data may be
predictive of aptitude for all jobs) for making
recommendations based on test results.
The five families of jobs:
1. Setting Up
2. Feeding and Off-Bearing
3. Synthesizing and Coordinating
4. Analyzing, Compiling, and Computing
5. Copying and Comparing
