Master of Arts in Professional Communication, Youngstown State University, 2019, Department of Communicaton

Holland (1959) developed scales to measure vocational paths based on students' personality traits. The current study looks further into how the big five personality traits (Koseoglu, 2016) impact vocational choices based on Hollands' vocational scale (RIASEC). Intention to persist based on academic satisfaction and fit were also variables analyzed throughout this study. A survey was used to collect data on personality types among various majors at a single urban research institution in Northeast Ohio. The survey also included environmental fit measures regarding students' academic satisfaction and fit, and whether this predicted intention to persist. Results showed that some personality types were correlated with specific vocational interests. If a personality type was positively correlated with a vocational choice, it could be more likely a student would choose majors within that vocational path. If a personality type was negatively correlated with a vocational choice, that student may not be as likely to choose a major within that vocational path. It was also found that students were more likely to persist within their major if they felt satisfied both academically and environmentally within their major.

Committee: Rebecca Curnalia PhD (Advisor); Shelley Blundell PhD (Committee Member); Jay Gordon PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Education; Higher Education; Personality