GENDER DIFFERENCES IN VOCATIONAL INTERESTS ACROSS THREE BALKAN COUNTRIES

Vladimir Hedrih

DOI Number
https://doi.org/10.22190/FUPSPH2301015H
First page
015
Last page
028

Abstract


The main objective of the study was to examine gender differences in vocational interests across three neighboring Balkan countries – Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Vocational interests were operationalized through the spherical model of vocational interests and Holland’s RIASEC circumplex model. The study reanalyzed data from previously published studies that collected vocational interest data from these countries. Participants of the study were 2536 young people, bachelor students in case of Bulgaria and North Macedonia and young people, with a high proportion of students, in the case of Serbia. They completed the Personal Globe Inventory. The results showed large gender differences along the People-Things dimension with Cohen’s d values ranging between 1.34 and 1.5 in the three country subsamples. Males tended to have higher preferences for jobs and activities that involved working with things than females, while females tended to have higher preferences for jobs and activities involving working with people than males. A substantial difference, but of smaller magnitude, was found in all three countries on the vocational interest dimension of Prestige, with females having higher scores than men. This difference came partly from higher preferences of women for high prestige jobs compared to men, but to a much greater extent from a much lower preference of women for low prestige jobs and activities compared to men. Comparisons were also made on vocational interest types and the largest differences found corresponded to those found in other world countries.

Keywords

vocational interests, spherical model of vocational interests, gender differences, Serbia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia

Full Text:

PDF

References


Browne, M. W. "Circumplex models for correlation matrices". Psychometrika 57, 4 (1992): 469–497. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02294416

Cohen, J. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences, 2nd Edition. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1988.

Darcy, M. "Examination of the structure of Irish students’ vocational interests and competence perceptions". Journal of Vocational Behavior 67 (2005): 321–333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2004.08.007

Darcy, M. & T. J. G. Tracey. "Integrating Abilities and Interests in Career Choice: Maximal Versus Typical Assessment". Journal of Career Assessment 11, 2 (2003): 219–237. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072703251614

Etzel, J. M., G. Nagy, & T. J. G. Tracey. "The Spherical Model of Vocational Interests in Germany". Journal of Career Assessment 24, 4 (2016), 701–717. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072715616122

Farmer, H., S. Rotella, C. Anderson, & J. Wardrop. "Gender differences in science, math, and technology careers: Prestige level and Holland interest type". Journal of Vocational Behavior 53 (1998): 73–96. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1997.1608

Glidden-Tracey, C. E., & M. I. Parraga. "Assessing the Structure of Vocational Interests among Bolivian University Students". Journal of Vocational Behavior 48, 1 (1996): 96–106. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1996.0010

Hedrih, V. "Structure of vocational interests in Serbia: Evaluation of the spherical model". Journal of Vocational Behavior 73, 1) (2008): 13–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2007.12.004

Hedrih, V. "Profesionalna interesovanja i osobine ličnosti. Godišnjak za psihologiju 6, 8 (2009): 155–172. http://www.psihologijanis.rs/clanci/67.pdf

Hedrih, V. "Provera konvergentne i diskriminativne validnosti analizom multiosobinske-multimetodske matrice na primeru PGI testa profesionalnih interesovanja zadatom uzorku iz Republike Makedonije. Primenjena Psihologija 4 (2011): 393–408. http://primenjena.psihologija.ff.uns.ac.rs/index.php/pp/article/view/1138/1152

Hedrih, V. Adapting Psychological Tests and Measurement Instruments for Cross-Cultural Research: An Introduction, 1st Edition. Routledge, Taylor&Francis Group, 2020.

Hedrih, V., & A. Hedrih. Interpreting statistics for beginners: A guide for behavioural and social scientists. Routledge, Taylor&Francis Group, 2022. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003107712

Hedrih, V., M. Stošić, I. Simić, & S. Ilieva. "Evaluation of the hexagonal and spherical model of vocational interests in the young people in Serbia and Bulgaria". Psihologija 49, 2 (2016): 199–210. https://doi.org/10.2298/PSI1602199H

Hedrih, V., & I. Šverko. "Evaluation of the Holand model of the professional interests in Croatia and Serbia". Psihologija 40, 2 (2007). https://doi.org/10.2298/PSI0702227H

Hedrih, V., I. Šverko, & I. Pedović. "Structure of vocational interests in Macedonia and Croatia - Evaluation of the spherical model". Facta Universitatis, Series: Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology and History 17, 1 (2018): 19–36. https://doi.org/10.22190/FUPSPH1801019H

Hofstede, G. "Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context". Online Readings in Psychology and Culture 2, 1 (2011). https://doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1014

Hofstede, G., B. Neuijen, D. D. Ohayv, & G. Sanders. "Measuring Organizational Cultures: A Qualitative and Quantitative Study Across Twenty Measuring Organizational Cultures". Administrative Science Quarterly 35, 2 (1990): 286–316.

Hogan, R., & R. Blake. "John Holland’s Vocational typology and personality theory". Journal of Vocational Behavior 55, 1 (1999): 41–56. https://doi.org/DOI 10.1006/jvbe.1999.1696

Holland, J. L. "A Theory of Vocational Choice". Journal of Counseling Psychology 6, 1 (1959).

Holland, J. L. Self-directed Search: Assessment Booklet, A Guide to Educational and Career Planning. Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc., 1994.

Iliescu, D., D. Ispas, A. Ilie, & A. Ion. "The Structure of Vocational Interests in Romania Competing Models for the Structure of Vocational Interests". Journal of Counseling Psychology 60, 2 (2013): 294–302. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032199

Larson, L. M., P. J. Rottinghaus, & F. H. Borgen. "Meta-analyses of Big Six Interests and Big Five Personality Factors". Journal of Vocational Behavior 61, 2 (2002): 217–239. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.2001.1854

Long, L., R. S. Adams, & T. J. G. Tracey. Generalizability of interest structure to China: Application of the Personal Globe Inventory. Journal of Vocational Behavior 66, 1) (2005): 66–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2003.12.004

Long, L., & T. J. G. Tracey. "Structure of RIASEC scores in China: A structural meta-analysis". Journal of Vocational Behavior 68, 1 (2006): 39–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2005.01.002

McKay, D. A., & D. M. Tokar. "The HEXACO and five-factor models of personality in relation to RIASEC vocational interests". Journal of Vocational Behavior 81, 2 (2012): 138–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2012.05.006

Nauta, M. M. "The Development, Evolution, and Status of Holland’s Theory of Vocational Personalities: Reflections and Future Directions for Counseling Psychology". Journal of Counseling Psychology 57, 1 (2010): 11–22. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018213

Prediger, D. J. "Dimensions Underlying Holland’s Hexagon: Missing Link between Interests and Occupations?" Journal of Vocational Behavior 21 (1982): 259–287.

Rounds, J., & T. J. G. Tracey. "Prediger’s Dimensional Representation of Holland’s RIASEC Circumplex". Journal of Applied Psychology 78, 6 (1993): 875–890.

Savickas, M. L. "Identity in Vocational Development". Journal of Vocational Behavior 27 (1985): 329–337.

Smart, R., & C. Peterson. "Super’s Career Stages and the Decision to Change Careers". Journal оf Vocational Behavior 51 (1997).

Sodano, S. M. "Integrating work and basic values into the Spherical Model of Interests". Journal of Vocational Behavior 78, 1 (2011): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2010.09.004

Sodano, S. M., & T. J. G. Tracey. "Prestige in interest activity assessment". Journal of Vocational Behavior 73, 2 (2008): 310–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2008.07.002

Su, R., J. Rounds, & P. I. Armstrong. "Men and Things, Women and People: A Meta-аnalysis of Sex Differences in Interests". Psychological Bulletin 135, 6 (2009): 859–884. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017364

Super, D. E. "A Life-Span, Life-Space Approach to Career Development". Journal of Vocational Behavior 16 (1980): 282–298.

Šverko, I. "Spherical model of interests in Croatia". Journal of Vocational Behavior 72 (2008): 14–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2007.10.001

Šverko, I. & T. Babarović. "Integrating personality and career adaptability into vocational interest space". Journal of Vocational Behavior 94 (2016): 89–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2016.02.017

Šverko, I., & V. Hedrih. "Evaluacija sfernog i heksagonalnog modela strukture interesa u hrvatskim i srpskim uzorcima". Suvremena пsihologija 13, 1 (2010): 47–62.

Tak, J. "Structure of Vocational Interests for Korean College Students". Journal of Career Assessment 12, 3 (2004): 298–311. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072703261555

Tokar, D. M., & A. R. Fischer. "More on RIASEC and the five-factor model of personality: Direct assessment of Prediger’s (1982) and Hogan’s (1983) dimensions". Journal of Vocational Behavior 52, 2 (1998): 246–259. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1997.1585

Tracey, T. J. G. "Personal Globe Inventory: Measurement of the spherical model of interests and competence beliefs". Journal оf Vocational Behavior 60, 1 (2002): 113–172. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.2001.1817

Tracey, T. J. G., & J. Rounds. "Evaluating the RIASEC Circumplex Using High-Point Codes". Journal оf Vocational Behavior 41 (1992): 295–311.

Tracey, T. J. G., & J. Rounds. "An Examination of the Structure of Roe’s Eight Interest Fields". Journal of Vocational Behavior 44 (1994): 279–296.

Tracey, T. J. G., & J. Rounds. "The Arbitrary Nature of Holland’s RIASEC Types: A Concentric-circles Structure". Journal of Counseling Psychology Rounds & Tracey Rounds & Zevon 42, 4 (1995): 431–439.

Tracey, T. J. G., & J. Rounds. "The Spherical Representation of Vocational Interests". Journal of Vocational Behavior 48 (1996): 3–41. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1006/jvbe.1996.0009

Tracey, T. J. G., N. Watanabe, & P. L. Schneider. "Structural Invariance of Vocational Interests Across Japanese and American Cultures". Journal of Counseling Psychology 44, 4 (1997): 346–354.

Vardarlı, B., R. Özyürek, K. G. Wilkins-Yel, & T. J. G. Tracey. "Examining the structure of vocational interests in Turkey in the context of the personal globe model". International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance 17, 3 (2017): 347–359. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-016-9338-6




DOI: https://doi.org/10.22190/FUPSPH2301015H

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ISSN 1820-8495 (Print)

ISSN 1820-8509 (Online)