The Measurement of Occupational Interests.

This article presents information on five papers related to industrial psychology, which were presented at a symposium of the British Psychological Society held during its annual conference in 1968. One of the papers discussed in this article is related to the study of interests that has generally centered on interest patterns and the application in varied situations of particular measuring devices. Measuring instruments have largely been used in the field of occupational differences. In respect of age differences, evidence from the strong inventory indicates satisfactory stability after the age of 15-16, and that age differences are far smaller than occupational differences. Interest patterns have also been related to other factors. Within the family, father-son and fraternal twin interests show a similar degree of resemblance, while identical twins are closer. There appears to be some relationship between patterns of interests and intelligence, and between values and social adjustment. The effect of experience seems to differ according to level of occupation, most change coming at the college or professional level.