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Classification of vocational interest factors on the Brook Reaction Test *
Author(s) -
ATHANASOU J. A.,
HALL P.,
FOX G. A.,
JENKINS J.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of occupational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.257
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 2044-8325
pISSN - 0305-8107
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8325.1980.tb00004.x
Subject(s) - varimax rotation , test (biology) , psychology , vocational education , selection (genetic algorithm) , social psychology , construct validity , variance (accounting) , test validity , psychometrics , applied psychology , developmental psychology , computer science , pedagogy , cronbach's alpha , paleontology , accounting , artificial intelligence , business , biology
The Brook Reaction Test (BRT) is an objection word association test that provides an indirect measure of 22 personal interests. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether there were factors underlying 10 vocational interest categories on the BRT and a further category designated in the BRT Manual as ‘unclassified’. The BRT was administered as part of a battery of selection tests to 325 males. The 11 scales were analysed using a principal components analysis and a varimax rotation carried out on the first six factors. The six factors identified accounted for 69***.8 per cent of the variance and were largely bipolar in nature: Factor I, people vs. practical; Factor II, unclassified interests; Factor III, aesthetic vs. business; Factor IV, literary vs. secretarial; Factor V, biological sciences vs. agriculture; Factor VI, physical sciences vs. outdoor. A hierarchical cluster analysis applied to these 11 scales confirmed the factor solution and demonstrated the independence of the interest categories. Findings were related to: (i) three earlier factorial studies of the BRT; (ii) further evidence concerning its construct validity; and (iii) Holland's hexagonal classification of occupations and ACT‐OCS work‐task dimensions. Implications of the findings for practical test usage in guidance and selection are outlined, especially the necessity to score all the 11 vocational scales.