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In this article we will discuss about:- 1. Meaning of Interest 2. Types of Interest 3. Types of Tools 4. Limitation.
Meaning of Interest:
An interest is a subjective attitude motivating a person to perform a certain task. It affords pleasure and satisfaction. It results in curiosity towards the object of interest, enthusiasm to be attached to the object, strength of will to face difficulties while engaged in the task of one’s interest, a definite change in behaviour in the presence of the object characterised by attention and concentration. Various definitions of interest. Guidance exports make a further explanation of interest from the guidance point of view.
Jones states, “Interest is a feeling of likening associated with a reaction, either actual or imagined to a specific thing or situation.”
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Bingham defines: “Interest is a tendency to become absorbed in an experience and to continue it, while an aversion is a tendency to turn away from it to something else.”
Types of Interest:
Jones mentions two distinct types of interests- extrinsic and intrinsic. The former are pleasurable emotions connected with a purpose or goal of an activity. It may involve fame, name, money, victory or such external motives of conduct.
But the latter are connected with the activity itself, being basic and real attraction without any external motive, This intrinsic interest is continuous and permanent, even if the immediate goal is reached. The extrinsic interest, dies as soon as the goal is reached.
Super and some other guidance experts have classified interests into:
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(i) Expressed interest,
(ii) Manifest interest, and
(iii) Measured interest.
In the expressed interest the person expresses his personal likings through such sentences as ‘I love sports’. Although, it is the first source of knowing the interest of a person yet much reliance cannot be based on it, as such expressions like permanency and are prone to vary from time to time depending upon the maturity of the person.
Manifest interest is the interest that is not expressed but observed by others while the person is engaged and absorbed in an activity. Newton forgot his meals while engaged in scientific experiments.
The measured interest is the estimate and account of a person’s interest as revealed by some psychological tests or interest inventories.
While knowing the interests of a person we can rely more on the manifest interest and the measured interest rather than the expressed interest. But it is not always practicable to know the manifest interest for want of frequent situations arrange able wherein the observer can observe the manifestation. Hence measured interest is the usual source.
Types of Tools for Measuring Interest:
The tools for measurement of interest are of two types – formal and informal. The formal methods are specialised and standardised measuring instruments such as interest inventories, interest test batteries.
The informal methods include the person’s own statement, a record of his activities and observation by the parents and the teachers. The former i.e., the informal methods are usually supplemented by the informal methods.
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Three notable formal methods universally employed are:
1. Strong Vocational Interest Blank,
2. Kuder Preference Record, and
3. Thustone’s Vocational Interest Schedule.
A brief description of each is given below:
1. Strong Vocational Interest Blank:
Prof. Strong of Stanford University California designed and standardised this check list. The check list contains 400 separate items. It is presented to the individual and he is simply asked to indicate whether he likes, dislikes or is indifferent, on a three point scale.
The test reveals the interest maturity of the individual, his masculinity and of femininity, and his occupational level. The 400 items include 100 occupations, 49 recreations, 36 school subjects, 48 activities and 47 peculiar interests. As such it is useful for both educational and vocational guidance.
2. Kuder Preference Record:
This has been prepared by G. Frederic Kuder. This test covers a wider field, comprising of nine separate scales of occupations, viz. mechanical, computational, scientific, persuasive, artistic, literary, musical, social and clerical. Kuder presupposes three major interests viz. mechanical, literary and artistic. So when the same task is presented to the subject, with three related activities, the subject will select the activity that relates one of the three interests that he possesses.
For instance, three choices are given about one item viz. building a bird house, writing articles about birds and drawing sketches about birds. If the subject opts for the first, his interest is mechanical. Another example is presented.
The subject is asked to select the activity that he would prefer the most, and the activity he would prefer the least out of the following three:
(i) Visit an art gallery.
(ii) Browse in a library.
(iii) Visit a museum.
A triple activity regarding collections is:
(i) Collect autographs.
(ii) Collect coins.
(iii) Collect butterflies.
A detailed scoring system is employed for analysis and interpretation. A percentile of 75 or above is considered significantly high. If a person goes beyond P 75 in any of the areas, all the occupations in that area are attractive for him.
3. Thurston’s Vocational Interest Schedule:
This test has been devised by Thurstone. He administered a comprehensive test to 3400 college students who expressed their Likeness (L). Indifference (I) and Dislike (D) to each of the items in the test.
He analysed the test scores and through the techniques of factor analysis, arrived at 8 factors of interest viz.;
(i) Commercial Interest,
(ii) Legal,
(iii) Athletic,
(iv) Academic,
(v) Descriptive,
(vi) Biological,
(vii) Physical Science,
(viii) Art.
Some less used interest tests are Hepner’s Vocational Interest Quotient and Lufburrow’s Interest Blank. The latter is of the same design as Strong’s Blank. It gives eleven families instead of nine, viz. Artistic, Commercial, Constructions, Industrial, Scientific, Humanistic literary, Transpositional, Mechanical and Technical. Clecton’s vocational Interest Inventory deal with 9 groups of occupations and contains 630 items.
The subject is to answer 40 questions and list his interests. There are two more inventories which are specially prepared for women. Manson’s Occupational Interest Bank is for guiding women. Stewart and Brainard have prepared specific Interest Inventories of types, one each for girls, women, boys and men. Any type (say for girls) contains 20 groups of five questions dealing with no different interests.
Limitation of Interest Inventories:
1. Some of the tests reveal ability rather than interest. But interest is not the same thing as ability. So some tests are not fully valid or reliable.
2. The tests presuppose that the subject possesses a particular interest. But it can reveal the interest that is present at the time of test, and not afterwards. The interests revealed may not remain permanent. Moreover the interests are cultivable also. At the time of testing a particular interest may not have developed fully, but it may develop afterwards. It has been seen that some interests develop during the vocation.
3. The interest inventories reveal facts on the basis of the report given by the subject. The accuracy of the report is still a problem. Some people do not reveal facts.
4. The questions in the inventories deal with certain types of activities, and not all these lead to clear-cut vocations. Again, there is much overlapping between one activity and another. An occupation is not one interest but a combination of activities or interests.
5. The predictictive side of the inventories have also been tested. On investigation Proctor found that these have 25% permanence in school studies. Strong finds correlation with future vocation as 0.75, i.e., less + 1.
Inspite of the above limitations, Interest Inventories are very useful in determining the future trends of the individual’s vocational life.