According to Erik Erikson (1950), adolescents and young adults are highly engaged in the process of identity development with intentions to avoid a state of diffusion and role confusion. Several researchers (e.g., Bordin, 1990; Krumboltz, 1979; Lofquist & Dawis, 1991; Super, 1957) in the area of career development have attempted to explain how identity relates to the career selection process for young adults, all seeming to describe a similar construct, that of self identity. Perhaps the most popular theory of career development, Holland’s (1959) theory, clarified the identity construct by Holland's Vocational Identity is first compared to Marcia's four ego identity statuses (Diffusion, Foreclosure, Moratorium, and Achieved), indicating a positive relationship to ego identity development. Second, person-environment (P-E) congruence was compared to Erikson's/Marcia's four identity statuses and Vocational Identity, revealing no relationship between the variables. However, strong relationships were apparent for P-E Congruence and well-being measures, including satisfaction with academic major, stability in academic major, and academic achievement. In further investigation of the identity formation process, identity variables were compared to measures of well-being. Using canonical correlation analysis, the first canonical function showed Vocational Identity as a strong indicator of well-being. Canonical correlation analysis was also used to compare measures of career development with Erikson's/Marcia's ego identity development. Results revealed a strong statistical relationship with the first canonical root, indicating Vocational Identity and career decision making both appear to be strongly related to the Achieved identity status. These findings further support the theoretical connection between ego identity and career development process. Considering limitations of the study, implications for theory and practice and recommendations for future research are provided. describing Vocational Identity as the possession of a clear and stable picture of one’s goals, interests, and talents. This study sought to clarify similarities between Erikson’s theory of identity development and Holland’s theory of vocational choice. To assess the relationship between identity formation and career development, 206 college students completed scales measuring ego identity formation, using Marcia’s (1966) empirical representation of Erikson’s theory, Vocational Identity, measures of congruence, measures of well-being, and Career Indecision.

Vocational interest is a dynamic, subjective, positive attraction towards a job, occupa tion or occupational field, based on the individual's perception of the structure of occupations and situations already experienced or expected to produce pleasurable feelings. Interest test tields are usually statistically derived from characteristics of individuals. This study develops and validates an interest test based on the perceived occupationaI structure. After examining various classification models and occupational classification systems, including work by Holland, Gati and Roe, a new network access model was pro­posed, based on many-to-many correspondence in set theory. Categories are arranged on levels. Choice of a category on one level precludes access to another category on the sanK level, but does not restrict access to categories on other levels. It was hypothesised that occupational structure is perceived to consist of the three levels of lields, environments and duties. Each category is a horizontal sirus group and includes all vertical status levels. Career choice is based on preferences at each level. 1200 jobs have been classified by allocation to one category on each level, and each is described by a field, environment and duty. The field-environment-duty (FED) system was operationalised in a ten minute interest test asking testees to choose from each level the three categories that interest them for a job. Extensive use was made of x to the power of 2 and empty sets to the power of two statistics in analysing nominal measurement scores. The FED test was applied to 1280 school-leavers in Gauteng, South Africa. Research supports Gati's division of occupations into "soft" (people-oriented occupations preferred by females), and "hard" (not-people-oriented occupations preferred by males), and introduces a third "neutral" division which is preferred equally by both males and females. Construct and concurrent validity was shown with the I 9Fll, VIQ, SDS and l6PF. In a four to five year longitudinal study the FED was found to predict future studies (80%) and occupation (86%). Research with working adults found that the FED test predicts concurrent job satisfaction, job tenure and self-assessed performance. Inter-rater reliability in assigning jobs to categories is around 80%. Test-retest reliability was significant to the 0,0001 level using the x to the power of 2 goodness of fit test. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D.Com. (Industrial Psychology)

Vocational interest is a dynamic, subjective, positive attraction towards a job, occupa tion or occupational field, based on the individual's perception of the structure of occupations and situations already experienced or expected to produce pleasurable feelings. Interest test tields are usually statistically derived from characteristics of individuals. This study develops and validates an interest test based on the perceived occupationaI structure. After examining various classification models and occupational classification systems, including work by Holland, Gati and Roe, a new network access model was pro­posed, based on many-to-many correspondence in set theory. Categories are arranged on levels. Choice of a category on one level precludes access to another category on the sanK level, but does not restrict access to categories on other levels. It was hypothesised that occupational structure is perceived to consist of the three levels of lields, environments and duties. Each category is a horizontal sirus group and includes all vertical status levels. Career choice is based on preferences at each level. 1200 jobs have been classified by allocation to one category on each level, and each is described by a field, environment and duty. The field-environment-duty (FED) system was operationalised in a ten minute interest test asking testees to choose from each level the three categories that interest them for a job. Extensive use was made of x to the power of 2 and empty sets to the power of two statistics in analysing nominal measurement scores. The FED test was applied to 1280 school-leavers in Gauteng, South Africa. Research supports Gati's division of occupations into "soft" (people-oriented occupations preferred by females), and "hard" (not-people-oriented occupations preferred by males), and introduces a third "neutral" division which is preferred equally by both males and females. Construct and concurrent validity was shown with the I 9Fll, VIQ, SDS and l6PF. In a four to five year longitudinal study the FED was found to predict future studies (80%) and occupation (86%). Research with working adults found that the FED test predicts concurrent job satisfaction, job tenure and self-assessed performance. Inter-rater reliability in assigning jobs to categories is around 80%. Test-retest reliability was significant to the 0,0001 level using the x to the power of 2 goodness of fit test. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D.Com. (Industrial Psychology)