Race, Aptitude and Vocational Interests

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One hundred Negro ninth graders were matched with 100 Caucasian ninth graders on the basis of scores attained on the Multiple Aptitude Test. Aptitude scores were then correlated with vocational interest scores derived from the Picture Interest Inventory. When matched, correlations between aptitude and interest were found to be negligible and to be differentiating between the races to only a small degree. Vocational interests of the two races, on the other hand, were found to be significantly different. The Negro youth was interested in interpersonal, business, verbal, computational, and long training occupations; the Caucasian, in occupations concerned with nature and with machines.