Person-environment fit in the world of work : a study of the relationship between Jung's personality styles and Holland's occupational environments

The relationship between personality style and preferred occupational environment was assessed for the purpose of identifying the number and kinds of approaches to organizational personnel operations that are likely to be needed in a work setting with a diverse population.

Personality and environment variables were derived from use of two instruments with 204 subjects in two industrial settings. The "I Speak Your Language Survey of Personal Styles," based on Jung's typology of personality, and the "Strong Campbell Interest Inventory," based on Holland's typology of occupational environments, were used to identify subject profiles with regard to four personality styles and six occupational environments. The results of data analyses by tally, correlation, and factor analysis yielded the following four patterns of personality/environment association;

1. Intuitor personality/Artistic-Investigative environment (for males, add Realistic environment)

2. Thinker personality/Conventional environment (for males, add Investigative environment)

3. Feeler personality/Social environment (for females, add Artistic-Enterprising environment)

4. Senser personality/Conventional environment (applies to females only)

Implications of these personality/environment patterns for methods of organizational personnel operations such as selection, orientation, training, and decision making were reviewed. Each personality/environment pattern was discussed with respect to the applicability of specific organizational techniques, e.g., selection approaches that vary from interview to audition, orientation approaches that vary from global description to detailed instruction, training approaches that vary from interpersonal to computer-assisted, and decision-making approaches that vary from participative to authoritative.

Implications of the personality/environment patterns for vocational, clinical, and educational methods were also suggested. Each personality/environment pattern was discussed with respect to the appropriateness of specific vocational involvements such as program planning, operation, and evaluation; clinical methods such as imagery, behavior contracting, and group therapy; and educational methods such as programmed instruction, peer teaching, and experiential learning.