Trait-and-Factor
Theory
Theory of Work
Adjustment
Darryl Correa
Janice Tuballes
M.A. Counseling
Energizer
Dance Video (3mins.)
PRE-ACTIVITY
Groupings (5mins.)
Main Activity
Questionnaire (5mins.)
The Trait-and-Factor Theory
The Trait-and-Factor theory is a direct application of
Parsons’ (1909) career counselling approach
This theory is based on the belief that individuals possess
personality traits that are relatively stable
The development of numerous psychometric tests aimed at
quantifying these traits have added practical value to this
theory
The development of information technology has also
contributed to the rapid development of this approach
To be successful one must choose an occupation that is
congruent with one’s personality.
Additional Qualifications – Summer 2009
The Trait-and-Factor Theory
Foundation of the Theory
The Trait-and-Factor theory is based on the idea
that individuals possess traits like interests or
aptitudes that can be identified and measured in
an objective manner (psychological type tests)
Identifying traits and factors allows individuals
to find an occupation, a profession or a trade that
corresponds to their personal characteristics
The goal of career counselling is to predict the
occupation that will best suite the individual,
based on their traits
Additional Qualifications – Summer 2009
The Trait-and-Factor Theory
Foundation of the Theory
Vocational choice should then be considered mainly
cognitive
A decision will be made based on reason
This means that a vocational choice could be located in
time and it would be considered more of an event then a
process
Each individual would then be matched with their ideal
occupation
A profession which will reflect their personality traits
The option of choice would then be relatively limited
Additional Qualifications – Summer 2009
Major Concepts
Formal Statements
Individuals can be classified by personality type
Environments can be classified by personality type
We search for environments that are a good fit
Behavior is an interaction of personality and environment
Trait-and-factor Approach
Individuals have unique traits that can be measured, discussed, and examined.
Occupations necessitate that individuals have certain traits
The better the ability of the individual to match his or her traits to occupations,
the greater the likelihood the individual will have success and feel satisfied.
The interaction between client and therapist is a dynamic process that includes
both affective and cognitive components.
The ability of an individual to match his or her traits with occupations is a
conscious process that can occur in a deliberate fashion.
The Trait-and-Factor Theory
Definitions:
Traits Factors
Characteristics that an individual
Characteristics required to
possessed that can be measured
perform well at work
with tests
These characteristics are constant Statistical approach capable of
and independent of particular differentiating characteristics
situations belonging to a certain group
By measuring the individual’s
Each occupation has specific
personal traits, you are able to
factors that need to be met
predict their vocational choice
Additional Qualifications – Summer 2009
The Trait-and-Factor Theory
My My
Interests Values
ME
My My
Aptitudes Personality
Additional Qualifications – Summer 2009
6 Modal Personality Types
Realistic
Investigative
Artistic
Social
Enterprising
Conventional
Holland’s Occupational Environments &
Interest Inventory or the R.I.A.S.E.C.
classified work environments and
personalities/interest into six:
Aptitude 1: realistic
Characteristics Career Match
Engineer, Architect,
Athletic, with Fish and Game
mechanical abilities Warden, Forester,
Prefers to work with Industrial Arts
objects, machines, tools Teacher, Pilot,
plant/animals or prefers Military Officer,
the outdoors in general Enlisted Personnel,
Competent in reading Crafts Person,
blueprints, carpentry Occupational
work, making Therapist
mechanical drawings,
using heavy equipment
Aptitude 2: INVESTIGATIVE
Characteristics Career Match
Chemist, Economist,
Physician,
Anthropologist,
Likes to observe, learn,
investigate, analyze and solve
Pathologist,
problems Physicist, Production
Scientifically-inclined Planner, Biologist,
Comfortable in using technical Psychologist,
equipment
Research/Systems
Adept at using log tables
Analyst, Surgeon,
Adept at interpreting chemical
formula Dentist, Engineer
Aptitude 3: ARTISTIC
Characteristics
Career Match
Innovative or Intuitive Artist, English Teacher,
Prefers to work in Musician, Singer, actor,
Foreign Language
unstructured situations
Interpreter, Philosopher,
Uses imagination and Orchestra Conductor, Public
creativity Relations Specialist,
Likes playing musical Fashion Designer and
instruments, singing, Model, Writer, Reporter,
Photographer, Interior
acting, making
Designer/Decorator, if
interpretative reading, gifted with IT knowledge
debating, sketching, may work as Computer
drawing, painting and Animator, Graphics
writing poetry/prose Designer or the like,
Advertising Executive,
Aptitude 4: SOCIAL
Characteristics Career Match
Likes working with others
Counselor, Social
Adept at informing,
enlightening, helping
Service Director,
training, developing, curing Interviewer, Teacher
or communicating Educational
Can explain things well to Administrator,
others Therapist, Nurse,
Feels competent with peers Training Director,
older than self Recreation Leader
Can effectively plan
community functions
Good judge of personality
Enjoys working as a
volunteer
Finds fulfillment in serving
others
Aptitude 5: ENTERPRISING
Characteristics Career Match
Influential, persuasive
Can lead an organization for
Manager,
economic gain salesperson, Market
Tends to be elected into office analyst, broker,
Can supervise the work of personnel, recruiter,
others
contractor, insurance
Has unusual energy or
enthusiasm
underwriter, salary
Good at getting people to do administrator,
things their way entrepreneur, etc.
Good in sales
Has organized a club or
organization
Good debater
Has started own business or
service
Aptitude 6: conventional
Characteristics Career Match
Likes working with Certified Public
data Accountant, Banker,
Business Teacher,
Has clerical and
Financial Expert,
numerical ability Estimator, Clerk,
Carries things out in Office Manager or
detail Department Secretary,
Can follow well on Data Processor,
others’ instruction Proofreader, Credit
Manager, Public
Good in typing letters Administrator
Can keep financial
records
Trait and Factor Career Counseling Model (Dawis,
1996)
Conduct the intake interview
Identify developmental variables
Assessment
Identify and solve problems
Generate a PEF analysis
Confirm, explore, decide
Follow up
Needs Testing?
Yes
Inventories Based on Holland’s Model
Self Directed Search (SDS)
The Vocational Preference Inventory (7 th ed.)
My Vocational Situation (MVS)
Vocational Interest (VI)
Position Classification Inventory (PCI)
The Career Attitudes and Strategies Inventory
Strong Interest Inventory (SII)
Career Assessment Inventory (CAI)
Counseling Approach/Process
The Trait-and-Factor Theory
The counselling process
Steps of the Process
1. Gather the maximum amount of information
2.
about the client, mainly by means of testing
Organise the information in order to give
1
3.
meaning and coherence to the data collected
Based on the data, elaborate a hypothesis
2
4.
that can explain the problematic
Establish the rate of success of the
3
counselling process
5. Present the possibilities to the client and
their probability of success
6. Be sure to follow-up
Additional Qualifications – Summer 2009
The Trait-and-Factor Theory
The counselling process
Evaluation
The evaluation plays an important role in the
trait-and-factor theory:
It requires specialised training in testing
It is important to select the right instrument
It is important to involve the client in the
process, and to avoid imposing solutions
Additional Qualifications – Summer 2009
The Trait-and-Factor Theory
The counselling process
Types of Measurement
Interests : most important trait to consider when choosing
education or a career
Self-Directed Search
Kuder DD
Strong Interest Inventory
Values : important concept, but hard to evaluate
Study of Values (SV)
Career Values Scale (CVS)
Personality : important area of study dating back 80 years
MMPI, Rorschach, TAT, CPI, 16 PF, MBTI
Additional Qualifications – Summer 2009
TRAIT AND FACTOR THEORY
Step 1:
Gaining self-understanding
Step 2:
Obtaining knowledge about the world of work
Step 3:
Integrating information about self (Step 1)
and the world of work (Step 2)
26 COPYRIGHT © 2014 Brooks/Cole*Wadsworth Publishing Company A division of
Cengage Inc.
GAINING SELF-UNDERSTANDING
Step 1:
Aptitudes Interests
Scholastic Assessment Tests Kuder Career Search
Strong Interest Inventory
ACT Tests
California Occupational
Differential Aptitude Tests
Preference Survey
General Aptitude Test Battery Values
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Study of Values
Test
Super’s Work Values – revised
Achievement
Personality
Specific Occupations
California Psychological Inventory
COPYRIGHT © 2014 Brooks/Cole*Wadsworth Publishing Company16 Personality Factors
27 Cengage Inc.
A division of
OBTAINING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE WORLD OF WORK
Step 2:
Types of Occupational Information
Description
Qualification
Education
Working conditions
Salary
Employment outlook
Advancement
Similar careers
Information for women and minorities
Brief examples
28 COPYRIGHT © 2014 Brooks/Cole*Wadsworth Publishing Company A division of
Cengage Inc.
CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
Step 2
Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT)
Occupational Information Network (O*NET)
Standard Occupational Classification Manual (SOC)
Enhanced Guide for Occupational Exploration (GOE)
29 COPYRIGHT © 2014 Brooks/Cole*Wadsworth Publishing Company A division of
Cengage Inc.
INTEGRATING INFORMATION ABOUT
SELF AND THE WORLD OF WORK
Step 3
Compare test and occupational information
Compare interview and occupational information
Computer programs (such as SIGI3 and DISCOVER) include all
three steps
30 COPYRIGHT © 2014 Brooks/Cole*Wadsworth Publishing Company A division of
Cengage Inc.
The Trait-and-Factor Theory
Limits of the Theory
This approach doesn’t offer much importance to
the emotive dimension
This approach is static, the individual is
essentially predetermined
The trait-and-factor theory is a bit outdated
because of its normative aspect
The cultural context of today’s society
grants a lot of importance to the individual,
to subjectivity and to diversity
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Additional Qualifications – Summer 2009
Limitations
The theory leaves no room for variables such as:
gender, ethnicity, age etc. and the impact these
variables play in the career matching process
Career Development as a Lifespan Process:
“The committed and wise career counselor is
willing to flow, for a short while, along this river
with his or her client; and, perhaps, if the helper is
a good navigator, he or she can assist in guiding
the client down the river along the most direct
and stable route.”
Thanks for listening!
