An investigation of the relationships between career interests and the expressiveness and instrumentality dimensions

Investigated in this dissertation were the relationships between career interest and: (a) gender, (b) self-esteem, and (c) sex-role orientation. The dependent variable, career interest, was measured by the Self-Directed Search (SDS) (Holland, 1973). Self-esteem as an independent variable was measured via the Self-Esteem Scale (Reitzes & Mutran, 1980). The Short-Form Sex Role Behavior Scale was used to measure sex-role orientation (Orlofsky & O\u27Heron, 1987). The first null hypothesis, tested by univariate and multivariate analyses, was that there are no significant differences in mean SDS scores for each of the six dimensions. The second null hypothesis, investigated via correlation, was that there are no significant correlational relationships between SDS scores and SRBS-2 scores for either male or female students. The third null hypothesis, examined via correlation, was that, for either male or female students, there are no significant correlational relationships between the SDS scores for each of the six dimensions and the Self-Esteem Scale scores. Regression analyses were also performed. Data were obtained from 50 male and 50 female students, from a balance of diverse fields of study, some of which are considered stereotypically feminine or masculine, and some which are largely considered neither. Gender was found to have affected not only the combined, R, I, A, S, E, and C scores but also the I and C scores separately. Significant relationships between sex-role orientation and career interests were found for each gender as well as for both genders combined. These findings can be referred to in support of the assertion that instrumentality correlates with stereotypically masculine career interests and that expressiveness correlates with stereotypically feminine career interests. Significant relationships likewise were found, for each gender and both genders combined, between Self-Esteem Scale scores and SDS scores. An implication of the findings is that both gender and sex-role orientation are therefore important variables to consider in examining career interests. Furthermore, these variables should not be considered apart from self-esteem in examining such interests