An 81-Variable Cluster Analysis of a Picture Interest Inventory

Abstract

The Spanish edition of the GPII ( I , 2, 3 ) was administered to 177 male Puerto Rican students, age 12-17, in the public schools of 7 communities in Puerco Rico. Tryon's cluster analysis technique ( 4 ) was applied to 11 interest area scores, 5 motivation area scores, and 63 motivation item scores. The purpose was to obtain dimensions for description of personality, to ascertain whether the total area scores were discrete, and to attempt to decrease the number of items in the motivation profile section. Two sets of clusters were obtained: ( a ) interest areas and motivating forces items and ( b ) interesc areas and motivaring forces areas. Nine clusters were obtained from ( a ) and 6 from (b ) , each cluster having a different number of variables with both principal and secondary variables; each cluster was also given a descriptive title or unitary name. The majority of clusters in ( a ) were in the personality area, suggesting that items should be added ro the personality section of the qualitative check list and the number of items should be reduced in the total check list. In ( b ) only one interest area appeared in one of the motivational forces clusters, suggesting that the motivational forces areas may well be independent of the interest areas. It is expected that at an early date a comparable sample on [he Mainland will be analyzed to further evaluate the present results.