Psychology of Scientist: XXXIV. MMPI Characteristics of Physical and Social Science Students: Replication and Reanalysis

Abstract

In the original study, using freshmen data, 291 male college graduates in physics, zoology, sociology, and history were used to test four hypotheses derived from other MMPI studies of science students. Only one of the four hypotheses was supported: physics and zoology students were higher on Social Introversion than sociology and history students. For this replication, a second sample of 326 male graduates was obtained in the same majors and the data were reanalyzed to compare the four majors and the two time periods on each dependent variable. This time two of the four hypotheses were supported: the physics and zoology majors are higher on Social Introversion ( p < .001) and lower on Psychopathic deviate scale ( p < .001) than the sociology and history majors. Also, the physics and zoology majors are considerably higher on aptitude and achievement data than the sociology and history majors. The findings with the MMPI have small but favorable implications for the Roe and the Holland theories of career development.