Stability of vocational interests among high school students

Adolescence, Fall, 1998 by Ronald L. Mullis, Ann K. Mullis, Deborah Gerwels

Table 2. Mean Scores (and Standard Deviations) by Time and Gender

Occupational Time 1 Time 2

Themes:                   Male     Female        Male      Female

Realistic                50.94     37.40(**)     51.65     41.63(**)
                         (9.24)    (6.85)        (9.73)    (8.37)
Investigative            42.41     40.05         40.27     37.38(**)
                         (9.83)    (8.68)       (10.88)    (9.28)
Artistic                 35.76     42.25(**)     38.75     41.84(**)
                         (7.96)   (10.09)       (10.27)   (10.80)
Social                   35.17     44.72(**)     35.81     40.10(**)
                         (9.13)    (9.96)        (8.75)   (10.32)
Enterprising             41.85     44.46(*)      45.96     46.33
                         (9.98)    (9.09)       (10.94)   (10.38)
Conventional             41.39     47.84(**)     44.77     50.75(**)
                        (10.08)   (10.22)       (10.71)   (10.75)

Basic Interests:

Agriculture              51.03     44.25(**)     50.40     44.69(**)
                         (9.92)    (8.17)       (10.43)    (8.62)
Nature                   38.90     40.89(*)      41.59     42.51
                         (7.85)    (7.87)        (8.68)   (10.03)
Adventure                57.38     47.85(**)     57.85     46.53(**)
                         (9.49)    (9.51)        (9.93)    (9.82)
Military Activities      54.84     46.84(**)     51.27     45.51(**)
                        (12.03)    (9.31)       (11.31)    (7.42)
Mechanical Activities    52.22     39.81(**)     53.55     39.12(**)
                         (8.76)    (6.36)        (9.07)    (7.31)
Science                  45.23     40.43(**)     46.42     39.16(**)
                         (9.47)    (6.93)        (9.82)    (7.94)
Mathematics              45.20     46.41         47.23     45.69(**)
                         (9.15)    (8.52)        (9.86)    (9.61)
Medical Science          40.65     42.64         41.63     40.41
                         (9.42)   (10.14)        (9.56)    (9.72)
Medical Services         43.46     49.54(**)     45.42     48.26(**)
                         (7.34)   (10.46)        (8.80)   (11.20)
Music/Drama              36.14     45.33(**)     40.58     45.15(**)
                         (7.03)    (9.47)        (9.36)   (10.11)
Art                      37.98     45.03(**)     37.66     35.81(**)
                         (8.96)    (9.86)        (9.66)    (8.75)
Writing                  33.29     39.62(**)     37.67     35.90(**)
                         (6.78)   (10.05)        (9.67)    (8.06)
Teaching                 36.83     45.66(**)     40.65     47.02(**)
                         (9.39)    (9.98)       (10.47)   (10.32)
Social Services          36.85     48.33(**)     40.11     50.10(**)
                         (7.13)   (10.74)        (8.70)   (10.62)
Athletics                53.22     51.07(*)      53.44     48.72(**)
                         (9.63)    (8.26)       (10.77)    (8.29)
Domestic Arts            38.66     54.33(**)     41.75     53.13(**)
                         (7.91)   (10.86)        (8.71)    (9.45)
Religion                 39.25     43.50(**)     40.24     44.04(**)
                         (6.89)    (8.81)        (7.87)    (9.23)
Public Speaking          37.63     39.57(*)      40.58     40.46
                         (8.07)    (8.60)        (9.06)    (9.26)
Law/Politics             40.61     40.67         42.22     41.66
                         (8.77)    (8.22)        (9.51)    (8.78)
Merchandising            39.61     46.31(**)     43.10     48.50(**)
                         (8.80)    (8.73)       (10.22)    (9.54)
Sales                    49.26     50.15         50.92     50.85
                         (8.39)    (8.75)        (9.87)    (9.80)
Business Management      39.05     42.42(**)     42.36     45.88(**)
                         (9.53)    (8.82)       (10.33)   (10.20)
Office Practices         44.40     56.54(**)     46.28     59.20(**)
                         (6.99)   (10.35)        (8.92)   (12.38)

Note. Gender differences: * p [less than] .05; ** p [less than] .01