Occupational Attributes: Constructs and Structure

Abstract

What aspects of occupations are considered most meaningful by those involved in occupational choice? Which of the attributes are most salient in describing the occupations? And which discriminate best between the occupations? These questions are approached by reference to data obtained from a sample of social science undergraduates. Whilst no direct inferences are made concerning the processes involved in the cognition of the occupations, it is found that an adequate hierarchical and spatial representation can be made of the data, which broadly confirm Rosenberg's types of motivation.