There is an ever-increasing body of psychological research dealing with various characteristics of cognitive structures. One notable example of this research activity pertains to that characteristic of cognitive structures which has come to be known as cognitive complexity-simplicity. Interest in the dimension of complexity-simplicity was first initiated by Bieri (1955)• It is basically an information processing variable. Cognitively complex individuals are assumed to have available a greater number of constructs or categories for processing of stimulus information input than do cognitively simple individuals. Much of the research to date has dealt with the relationship between cognitive complexity and various forms of clinical and social judgments (cf. Bieri, et al., 1966). Until recently little interest has been shown in attempting to relate this cognitive variable to the problem of vocational choice. It is, therefore, the purpose of this investigation to examine the relationship between cognitive complexity and vocational choice. More specifically, this study
The present article describes an experiment designed to evaluate the effect of occupational information giving on subjects' cognitive complexity level. Results of the experiment indicate that information giving reduced subjects' cognitive differentiation of occupational/vocational constructs compared to control subjects. Theoretical, research, and professional practice implications of these findings are discussed.
Two main theories of effective psychological adjustment to aging were tested: activity theory, which proposes that elderly persons should remain in active contact with their environment; and disengagement theory, which suggests that adjustment comes through a reduction of activity and social contact. A group of community-living, disengaged elderly were identified. Disengaged subjects in the experimental group were exposed to an activity group experience. Experimental subjects demonstrated significant improvement over the untreated control subjects on six of seven measures of psychological adjustment and well-being. The results supported the activity theory of effective psychological adjustment to aging.
This study attempted to replicate the finding that cognitive complexity in the vocational realm was positively related to the making of an appropriate or congruent vocational choice, using Holland's model. Results indicated a significant positive correlation between cognitive complexity and the choosing of an occupation in which the environment was compatible with the subject's personality coping style. Cognitive complexity level was unrelated to Vocational Preference Inventory personality type.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.