Career Specialty Preferences Among Psychology Majors: Cognitive Processing Styles Associated With Scientist and Practitioner Interests

Abstract

The authors investigated cognitive processing styles associated with interests in scientist and practitioner activities among a sample of undergraduate psychology majors who planned to attend graduate school. Results indicated that interests in scientist activities were associated with a greater motivation to engage in effortful processing (i.e., need for cognition). Interests in practitioner activities were not correlated with need for cognition. Contrary to theoretical expectations, neither interests in scientist activities nor in practitioner activities were related to ambiguity intolerance (i.e., preference for clear-cut solutions to problems).This study attempted to gain better understanding of career specialty choice in psychology by examining the relationship between cognitive processing styles and career specialty preferences among undergraduate psychology majors. Gelso's (1979) reflections on the scientist and practitioner traditions in psychology served as the theoretical context for the current study.In the tradition of Paul Meehl (1972), Gelso (1979) offered a series of influential reflections on scientist and practitioner interests in psychology. Influential psychologists met in Boulder, Colorado, in 1949, establishing a model of training devoted to training psychologists as scientists and practitioners. Their training recommendations are referred to as the Boulder model. The Boulder model's goal has repeatedly been hindered by the perception among psychologists that there are groups of psychology students whose strong interests in empirical research are associated with a disdain for clinical practice and vice versa (Leong & Zachar, 1991). The perception that the Boulder model advocates unrealistic goals has led to the development of competing models, specifically practitioner programs leading to the Doctor of Psychology degree, and the clinical scientist model, which puts a primary emphasis on research (McFall, 1991;Peterson, 1976).

The relation between specialty choice of psychology students and their interests, personality, and cognitive abilities

“…Students at Social Psychology show relatively more interest in foreign languages and cultural topics. The picture emerging from group differences in personality and cognitive abilities is consistent with previous findings in the US (Bishop & Bieschke, 1998;Horn et al, 2007;Leong et al, 2007;Mallinckrodt et al, 1990;Martin et al, 2007;Tinsley et al, 1993;Vittengl et al, 2004). The different specialties of psychology can best be characterized in terms of different Holland codes.…”

“…Research among psychology majors in the US has highlighted a clear distinction between researcher and practitioner interests (Leong & Zachar, 1991;Zachar & Leong, 1992. Several studies have addressed the relatively low interest in scientific issues among many psychology majors (Bishop & Bieschke, 1998;Leong, Zachar, Conant, & Tolliver, 2007;Tinsley, Tinsley, Boone, & Shim Li, 1993;Vittengl et al, 2004), although psychology majors clearly differ in this regard. For instance, Martin, Gavin, Baker, and Bridgmon (2007) recently compared doctoral students at different specialties of psychology and found clear differences between these groups in scientist-practitioner interests.…”

Career interests of students in psychology specialties degrees: psychometric evidence and correlations with the RIASEC dimensions

“…We hope that the initial development of the present questionnaire will lead to further international and, perhaps, crosscultural studies. It is essential that universities offer guidance through the use of questionnaires/scales that are appropriate for their students' needs (Leong et al, 2007). Furthermore, it is essential to identify and overcome the difficulties that vocational and professional psychology students present during their course.…”

“…When comparing psychology students with students from other courses, a study developed by Leong, Zachar, Conant, & Tolliver (2007) showed that psychology students were more active and enthusiastic entrepreneurs than geography students (higher openness scores) and more inhibited than physical education students (lower extraversion scores). Other authors argued that different forms of cognition that characterize psychology students, namely creativity, appear to be directly linked to innovation and the search for new solutions (e.g., Cassin et al, 2007;Jones & Allen, 2012;Wicherts & Vorst, 2010).…”

“…These students need guidance in choosing a specialty area. In the specific case of psychology students, two factors are particularly relevant in career decision making, namely, the area of expertise and the type of degree or course of study (Cassin et al, 2007;Hartung & Leong, 2005;Leong, Zachar, Conant, & Tolliver, 2007). Furthermore, psychology students seem to have distinct interests and motivations for specific areas within psychology, which interfere with their career choices for the future (Bueno, Lemos, & Tomé, 2004).…”