The trait complex approach (Ackerman&Heggestad, 1997) makes it possible to study the individual holistically by taking account of various individual differences at the same time, such as abilities, personality, motivation, and vocational preferences. Recently, Kanfer, Wolf, Kantrowitz, and Ackerman (2010) provided support for taking a whole-person approach in predicting academic performance. They also showed the incremental role of non-ability predictors over the role of ability predictors. Objectives of the present study were to further explore the non-ability variables of the science/math trait complex. Identifying the personality correlates of the science/math trait complex was the first objective. Investigation results yielded four personality factors as correlates of the complex, which play important roles for engineers and scientists at different stages of the vocational track: toughmindedness was the personality marker of the science/math trait complex and was associated with intending to pursue a STEM career; achievement and control were associated with academic success in STEM majors; and cognitively-oriented behavior was associated with more cognitively challenging pursuits, such as attending STEM competitions and planning to go on to graduate school. The second purpose was to revisit the vocational interests associated with the science/math trait complex and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) groups. A new measure was introduced, referred to as STEM Interest Complexity, which measures interests towards engaging in increasingly complex tasks in the Numerical, Symbolic, Spatial, and STEM-related Ideas domains. It was developed to assess the level of vocational interests, in addition to the traditionally assessed direction of vocational interests (Holland, 1985). Validation of the new STEM Interest Complexity measure showed adequate construct and concurrent criterion-related validities. Construct validity was established by demonstrating associations between the new measure and measures of the direction of interests, cognitive abilities, intelligence as personality, and learning goal orientations. Support for the new measure's criterion-related validity was found by demonstrating that the measure discriminates between majors, and predicts vocational criteria (i.e., college achievement in STEM, attachment to STEM fields, major satisfaction, and one's intentions to chose a complex STEM career). With dominance analyses, it was shown that STEM Interest Complexity was the most important vocational assessment in the prediction of criteria. Results support the assertion that vocational interest inventories can be improved by incorporating the level of complexity dimension. Finally, a science/math trait complex composite score, including the personality factors and STEM Interest Complexity, in addition to the previously determined ability, interest, and self-concept associates, showed moderate associations with STEM-related vocational criteria. The non-ability individual differences, which were the focus of the present study, added to the conceptualization and predictive utility of the science/math trait complex.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

This study's purpose (May, 1980) was to determine nursing career preferences of twelfth-grade students in health occupation courses in Texas. Super's theory of career development provided the theoretical framework. Data collected via researcher-developed Nursing Career Survey (NCS) administered to students and a teacher questionnaire concerning course content were analyzed and reported by frequencies and percentages. The population (n=379): females, ethnic groups (Whites, Blacks, and Mexican-Americans), all levels of social classes (I/II, III, and IV/V), and preferrers of VN, ADN, Diploma, and BSN nursing programs.

The purposes of this study were to identify the factors influencing industrial-technical students in the choice of major area of study, to determine if certain areas were more influential when these students elected a major, and to provide information for industrial arts teacher-preparation programs that would aid in determining the reasons for the current industrial arts teacher shortage. From the study of factors influencing the student's choice of major, one may conclude that there is a definite need in the state of Texas for students to major in industrial arts education. One may also conclude that at the high school level, the industrial arts class and the industrial arts teacher have positive influences on the student when the student selects a college or university major. Perhaps the most significant conclusion is that the existence of an industrial arts teacher shortage is, in part, due to the fact that teaching salaries are not competitive with salaries offered by industry.

M.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The purpose was to investigate career expectations and goals of junior and senior fashion merchandising majors at North Texas State University and to compare findings with expectations for trainees of retail employers with executive training programs in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The findings indicated that most female students are planning their career goals in business for the next five years. Students are confused as to what employee benefits they might receive at the entry level. College recruitment is an important method of hiring executive trainees. Length of training programs vary from six months to three years. At the time of the study, trainees could expect a beginning salary of nine to ten thousand dollars.

Much has been done to promote the use of management techniques designed to develop human resources within the business enterprise. Unfortunately, most of these procedures are applied after the individual has become an employee of the firm. Similar management techniques are needed for the proper recruitment and placement of each new employee. A major source of employee dissatisfaction and turnover lies in the incapacity of some jobs to satisfy the aspirations and job values of certain types of employees. Therefore, one key to employment stability for the college graduate is the relative compatibility between his job values and the capacity of the job to provide fulfillment for those aspirations. Much needs to be done in the areas of predicting the job values of a college senior and matching the individual graduate with that job which is most apt to provide a productive and meaningful career. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between grade point averages, job values, and career decisions as perceived by the Ma3 1973, graduating seniors of the College of Business Administration at North Texas State University, their professors, and their employment recruiters. The students provided background data such as grade point average, SAT scores, and marital status in addition to Likert-type rankings of family experiences and job values. The professors also provided rankings of their job values. Those employers who had interviewed seniors through the Business Employment Services office during the spring semester of 1973 ranked the same job values and selected student characteristics in accordance with the emphasis placed upon them during recruitment. Significant relationships were identified through the calculation of product-moment correlation coefficients. Comparisons were made utilizing t-tests of significance.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This exploratory study looks at the underrepresentation of certain groups, especially women, in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations. Using longitudinal data, it investigates the impact of math and technical abilities as well as social status measures such as sex, race/ethnicity and household income on STEM career choice, arguing that social status variables have an important influence apart from abilities, with an emphasis on gender. Results show significant impacts of sex, race/ethnicity, income and both math and technical skills on STEM career choice; however, only sex, math and technical skill have statistically significant impacts when controlling for all other variables, with technical skill having the strongest impact in all tests. Implications of these findings are discussed, confirming previous studies but also setting the groundwork for inclusion of technical skill in research on STEM areas. Future efforts are argued to focus on technical ability, as well as gender and mathematical adroitness.

No description available.

The objectives of this study were to devise testing procedures for identification of contributing factors in career development problems believed to be prevalent in southern Appalachia and in particular, Wyoming County, West Virginia; to identify career development problems unique to students in this region; and to define and analyze interrelating factors. It was hoped that this study could add to a body of research which might be utilized to understand the unique southern Appalachian student and his career development needs. / Ed. D.