MAJOR CAREER CHANGES: INTEREST/PERSONALITY RELATIONSHIP IN SPIRAL TYPE INDIVIDUALS

Abstract

Based on a sample of 65 workers having undergone major reorientation of their careers, this study indicates that Driver′s spiral category is far from being a homogeneous one. Thus, individuals pursuing this type of career path can be broken down into three distinct subgroups both with respect to their interests as well as to their personality dynamics. The first subgroup contains the social‐artistic (e.g. author, housekeeper); the second, the conventional‐enterprising (e.g. accountant, banker); the third, the artistic‐investigative (e.g. psychologist, sculptor). All three sub‐types conform to Holland′s theory and are characterised by different personality variables.