Holland's typology and the five-factor model: A rational-empirical analysis

This study investigated the relationship between Holland's typology and the Five-Factor Model of personality. Raters coded the adjective descriptors o f Holland's six personality types according to their perceived reference to the dimensions of the Five-Factor Model: Extraversion, Neuroticism, Consci entiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience. Ratings were tallie d to provide an index of each adjective's "loading" on each of the Big Five . The loadings for the descriptive adjectives were aggregated within each o f the Holland types to yield a quantitative index of each type's relationsh ip to each of the Big Five. The relationships between the Holland types and the dimensions of the Five-Factor Model that had been predicted from the a djective rating task were then compared with actual correlations obtained b etween Big Five marker scales and operational measures of Holland's typolog y. Results supported a pattern of empirical relationships between interest and personality scales that was consistent with Holland's qualitative descr iption of his typology.