Relationship of Interest Measurement Derived from the Copsystem Interest Inventory and the Kuder General Interest Survey: Construct Validation of Two Measures of Occupational Activity Preferences

Abstract

Similar scales on the COPSystem Interest Inventory and the Kuder General Interest Survey were compared in terms of correlations between the scales. Congruence of results in relation to profile similarity in the high interest areas was determined by comparing the three highest interest areas on the two instruments. The magnitude of coefficients between conceptually similar scales ranged from low (r = .21) between the Kuder Persuasive scale and the COPS Business, Skilled scale to moderate (r = .49) between the Kuder Scientific scale and the COPS Science Professional and between the Kuder Literary scale and the COPS Communication scales. The pattern of correlations wherein the magnitude of positive correlation was higher between conceptually similar scales than between any other scales in the array provided evidence of construct validity for these scales. A comparison of the three highest areas of interest from both instruments revealed that 89% of the sample had at least one area of interest the same on both instruments. For 25% of the sample, results from the two instruments were the same in terms of the three highest areas: that is the top three areas of interest were the same on both instruments. These results are interpreted as supporting the construct validity of the instruments.