The structure and relationship of college women's primary abilities and vocational interests

Abstract

This study examined the structure and relationship of vocational interests and primary abilities in a sample of college women. A comprehensive battery of well-validated tests of primary abilities corresponding to each of Holland's six vocational interest types was administered to a sample of 149 female college undergraduates. Factor analysis of the ability measures showed a pattern similar to Holland's interest model, except that no ability factor analogous to Realistic interests emerged, and there were two Artistic factors, musical and artistic/spatial. There was relatively little common variance between abilities and their corresponding vocational interests. The results suggested that, although abilities and interests appear to be similarly structured, each domain may be relatively independent of the other. Implications of the study for future research on women's primary abilities are discussed, including the desirability of including measures of musical, artistic/esthetic, leadership, and social abilities in future studies.