The Self Directed Search was recently revised (Form R) after two tests: a version with 70 new items was administered to 701 people to identify good and bad items, and 2,600 students and adults completed the final Form R. The Occupations Finder was revised, and a technical manual and professional user's guide were created. (SK)

Found classified vocational aspirations of 467 male and 250 female Navy recruits superior to Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI). Predictions for subjects with coherent vocational aspirations were very predictive over short time interval. Hypothesized links between coherence of vocational aspirations and Identity Scale, NEO Personality Inventory…

This paper provides a general perspective for evaluating interest inventories and simulations and outlines some activities to stimulate the development of more useful inventories. Previous evaluations have been primarily instrument-specific; have relied generally on opinion rather than evidence; and have focused only on possible sex, age, race, or…

This extension of an earlier study investigated the hypothesis that occupational choices follow orderly or lawful patterns and can be predicted from initial choices. By applying Holland's scheme of classification to students' successive occupational choices, the authors learned that the classification provides a practical definition of…

Six scales representing Holland's six personality types were developed for the SVIB. The results of this study show that the Holland theoretical structure, when applied to the Strong data, provides a useful model for organizing the data. (Author)

Determines how the Self-Directed Search (SDS) achieves its effects. High school girls were assessed before and after treatment for vocational aspirations, knowledge of typology, and information seeking. Nonsignificant findings imply that SDS achieves its effects partly because of its numerous occupational options. Instructional booklets increase…

The realistic competency and activity scales of the Self-Directed Search were revised to learn if women's scores on these scales could be increased without reducing their concurrent and construct validity for men and women. Results indicate the revisions increase women's realistic scores, but fail to affect their high point codes. (Author)

The Self-Directed Search for educational and Vocational Planning is a self-administered, self-scored, and self-interpreted vocational counseling tool. It is inexpensive, practical, and has a high degree of scientific validity and client effectiveness. The SDS is based on Holland's theory of personality types. (Author)

Paper materials and computer programs have great potential for explicating the vocational treatment process. Unlike counselors, they come in standard models which do not vary from day to day. The next steps should be to dissect what special aspects of these impersonal modules are most responsible for their effects. (Author)

Several Predictors of occupational choice derived from a theory of careers were examined. Hypotheses that a person's competencies, activities, self-estimates, interests, and vocational choices can be organized to understand and predict subsequent choice were tested. Findings support both the theory and the validity of the Self-Directed Search.…

The impact of psychological testing on the public is explored. Topics discussed include a review of the controversy over interest inventories, what has been learned from the research and from the political activity that was enacted relative to employment/admission testing, and some ideas for increasing the ability to cope more readily with current…

Comments on preceding articles include "Studies of the Hexagonal Model" (Holland, Gottfredson); "Structure of Occupations" (Dawis); "Is Holland's Theory Worthy of So Much Attention?" (Schwartz); "Does Enough Evidence Exist to Modify Holland's Theory?" (Hansen); "Research and Application Using Holland's…

The basic ingredients of test development and practice are validity and reliability, but the tested impact is equally important. The American Psychological Association Committee on Psychological Tests should be restructured to deal with testing problems, and more research should be done on the public impact of testing. (JAC)

The author reviews the evidence for the beneficial effects of the Self-Directed Search (SDS), indicates that Hanson and Prediger have misinterpreted the theory, that their evidence is misleading, and that other evidence indicates that males and females of the same type are similar. The virtues of raw scores are summarized. (Author)