Thesis (MComm (Industrial Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The choice of career path could create a stressful situation for many individuals.
Researchers seem to agree that if a person is able to find fit between what they would like
to do and what a job (work environment) involves then a person is likely to perform their
chosen occupation well. Interest assessment is a method that assists in making personal
and organisational career related decisions. The Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS,
Campbell, Hyne & Nilsen, 1992) is a well-known interest assessment instrument that can
be used for such decisions. Even though interest assessment can assist, these
instruments have been criticised for being gender biased and typically forcing people into
stereotypical gendered type occupations. Bias is indicated as nuisance factors that
threaten the validity of cross-group (cultural) comparisons (Van de Vijver & Leung, 1997).
These nuisance factors could be due to construct bias, method bias and/or item bias.
Therefore, due to the importance of the decisions made, it would seem essential that the
information provided by test results apply equally across different reference groups – this
would imply equivalent measurement. Equivalence is achieved at three levels: Configural,
metric and scalar (Vandenberg & Lance, 2000; Vandenberg, 2002). Full measurement
invariance (achieved when scalar invariance is found) implies the ability to compare
observed scores directly. By making use of confirmatory factor analytic techniques
suggested by Vandenberg and Lance (2000), increasing constraints of equivalence were
proposed for the CISS measurement model. While adequate model fit was found for the
CISS Basic scales, the sample size did not afford independent gender sample
confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) and consequent measurement invariance tests to be
conducted on the Basic scales. The CISS Orientation scales were then subjected to CFA
on the combined gender sample and then were subjected to independent CFAs on the
separate gender samples. Unfortunately poor model fit was found at this global level of
measurement in the CISS. This prevented the researcher from completing the necessary
measurement invariance tests on the Orientation scales for the CISS. The implications of
the results are discussed, limitations are indicated and areas for further research are
highlighted. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die maak van ‘n loopbaankeuse kan spanning veroorsaak in baie mense. Dit wil voorkom
of navorsers saamstem dat indien ‘n person se werklike beroep ooreenstem met dit wat
hy/sy graag sou wou doen – dan sal die persoon waarskynlik goed presteer in die gekose
beroep. Die benutting van belangstellingsvraelyste kan individue help om effektiewe
persoonlike en beroepsgerigte keuses te maak. Die “Campbell Interest and Skill Survey”
(CISS, Campbell, Hyne & Nilsen, 1992) is ‘n bekende belangstellingsvraelys wat gebruik
kan word om ondersteuning te bied om bogenoemde keuses te maak. Alhoewel
belangstellingsvraelyste oor die algemeen waardevolle hulpbronne is in die maak van
beroepskeuses, is hierdie vraelyste al gekritiseer dat hulle sydig kan wees op grond van
geslag en as sulks mense kan lei om geslagsgetipeerde beroepskeuses te maak.
“Sydigheid” in toetse kan beskryf word as “lastige” faktore wat die geldigheid van kruiskulturele
vergelykings bedreig (Van de Vijver & Leung, 1997). Hierdie faktore kan
veroorsaak word deur konstruksydigheid, metodesydigheid en/of itemsydigheid. Dit is dus
noodsaaklik dat die informasie wat verskaf word deur die toetsresultate dieselfde
betekenis moet hê oor al die verskillende verwysingsgroepe en dit noodsaak ekwivalente
meting. Ekwivalensie kan bereik word op drie vlakke: konfiguraal, metries en skalêr
(Vandenberg & Lance, 2000; Vandenberg, 2002). Volle invariansie van meting (wat bereik
word wanneer skalêre invariansie bevind word) impliseer dat waargenome metings direk
met mekaar vergelyk kan word. Deur gebruik te maak van bevestigende faktoranalitiese
tegnieke voorgestel deur Vandenberg en Lance (2000), is toenemende
ekwivalensiebeperkinge voorgestel vir die “CISS” metingsmodel. Alhoewel ’n
bevredigende passing gevind is vir die “CISS Basic scales” model, het die grootte van die
steekproef nie toegelaat dat die “CISS Basic scales” model onafhanklik op die twee
geslagsgroepe gepas word nie en ook nie toegelaat dat die metingsinvariansie van die
model oor die twee geslagsgroepe ondersoek word nie. Die “CISS Orientation scales” is
toe blootgestel aan bevestigende faktorontleding op die gekombineerde geslagsteekproef
en asook op die onderskeie geslagsgroepe. Op hierdie globale vlak kon daar egter nie
bevredigende modelpassing gevind word nie. Die gebrekkige modelpassing het gevolglik
die navorser verhoed om enige verdere metingsvariansie toetse op die “Orientation
scales” te doen. Die implikasies van die resultate word bespreek, beperkinge word
aangedui en verdere moonlike navorsingsgebiede word uitgelig.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2387 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Donnelly, Clayton |
| Contributors | Theron, C. C., Ekermans, G., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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