John L.

Holland
Brittany Korbel
CNSA 510
Bridgewater State University

Overview
Holland Occupational Themes
(Holland Codes or RIASEC)
Two measures:
The Vocational Preference Inventory (1953)
Self Directed Search (1970)
Occupation finder (1977)
Position classification inventory (1991)
Person Environment Fit theory (1997)

Holland Codes (RIASEC)

People resemble each of six personalities
There are six model environments that parallel qualities
and attributes to each personality type
People seek out environments that provide them with
opportunities to use their talents and express their values
and attitudes
Behavior results from the interaction of the person and the
environment

Personality Types
Artistic
The Creators

Social

Investigative

The Helpers

The Thinkers

Enterprising

Realistic

The Persuaders

The Do-ers

Conventional
The Organizers

Factors
Consistency- the degree of
pairs of types that are related
Differentiation- a person or
environment is well defined
Identity- clarity and stability of
a persons goals, interests,
abilities in an environment and
become stable over time
Congruence- the degree of
match between a person and
an environment

Artistic
Social
Enterprising

Investigative

Realistic

Conventional

Activity

Realistic
Prefer to work with things rather than ideas and
people
Enjoy engaging in physical activity and often like being
outdoors and working with plants and animals
Prefer to learn by doing in a practical, task-oriented
setting
Communicate in a direct manner and value material
things
Skilled in mechanical and physical activities but may
be uncomfortable with human relations
Prefer work that allows them to produce tangible
results

Realistic
Carpenter
Farmer
Forester
Pilot

Diesel Mechanic
Fire Fighter

Locksmith

Electrician

Flight Engineer
Locomotive Engineer

Police Officer

Truck Driver

Investigative
Enjoy research, mathematical or scientific activities
Drawn to ambiguous challenges
Enjoy using logic and solving highly complex, abstract
problems
Introspective and focused on creative problem solving
Work autonomously and do not seek leadership roles
Enjoy independent work and focuses on solving
abstract, complex problems

Investigative
Biologist
Dentist

Chemist

Computer Programmer

Electrical Engineer

Medical Technician
Pharmacist

Mathematician
Meteorologist

Physician

Veterinarian

Surveyor

Artistic
Seek opportunities for self-expression through artistic
creation
Prefer flexibility and ambiguity
Impulsive and emotional, tend to communicate in a very
expressive and open manner
View themselves as creative, non-conforming and as
possessing musical, dramatic, artistic or writing abilities
Prefer an environment of the imagination in a flexible,
unstructured setting

Artistic
Actor

Art Teacher

Clothes Designer
Composer

Dancer

Graphic Designer

Book Editor
Comedian
Disk Jockey
Musician

Social
Enjoy participating in group activities and helping,
training, healing, counseling or developing others
Focused on human relationships, enjoy social activities
and solving interpersonal problems
Seek opportunities to work as part of a team, solve
problems through discussions and utilize interpersonal
skills
Prefer work environment of teamwork that allows for
significant interaction with others

Social
Athletic Trainer

Counselor

Dental Hygienist

Librarian

Parole Officer

Physical Therapist

Social Worker

Teacher

Nurse

Enterprising
Enjoy activities that require them to persuade others
and seek out leadership roles
Invigorated when using their interpersonal, leadership
and persuasive abilities to obtain organizational goals
or economic gain
Effective public speakers and are generally sociable
but may be viewed as domineering
Prefer work environment that engages in activities,
such as leadership, management and selling

Enterprising
Auctioneer

Bank President

Camp Director

City Manager

Customs Inspector

Hotel Manager

Judge

Recreation Leader
Sales Manager Sales Person
Travel Agent

Lawyer

Real Estate Agent

School Principle
TV Newscaster

Conventional
Comfortable working within an established chain of
command and prefer carrying out well-defined
instructions
Prefer organized, systematic activities and have an
aversion to ambiguity
Skilled in maintaining and manipulating data,
organizing schedules and operating office equipment
Thorough, persistent and reliable in carrying out tasks
Prefer a work environment of a structured operation
and places high value on conformity and dependability

Conventional
Bank Teller

Bookkeeper

Mail Carrier
Secretary
Title Examiner

Court Clerk

Post Office Clerk

Timekeeper
Typist

Environment-Fit Theory
Behavior is a function of personality and social
environment
Behavior is a function of the complementary match or
congruence between the individuals personality style
and the psychological environment
Enter environments because of their personalities and
remain because of the reinforcements and satisfactions
Job satisfaction and stability, job involvement, work
quality, productivity, and well-being

References
Evans, N., Forney, D., Guido, F., Patton, L., & Renn, K. (2010). Student
development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2nd
ed., pp. 33-35). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Feldman, K., Smart, J., & Ethington, C. (2006). Using Holland's Theory to
Study Patterns of College Student Success: The Impact of Major
Fields on Students. National Postsecondary Education
Cooperative, 7-35
Nauta, M. (2010). The Development, Evolution, and Status of Hollands
Theory of Vocational Personalities: Reflectons and Future
Directions for Counseling Psychology. Journal of Counseling
Psychology, 11-22
Person-Environment Fit (P-E Fit) in Career Development - IResearchNet.
(2015, January 28). Retrieved November 20, 2015, from
http://career.iresearchnet.com/careerdevelopment/personenvironmen
t-fit-p-e-fit/