Evaluating the RIASEC circumplex using high-point codes

The fit of the circumplex structure to Holland RIASEC codes was examined using loglinear analysis. Two letter high-point code frequency tables of the four Self-Directed Search norm samples (male college students, female college students, male high school students, and female high school students) and Holland's translation of Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) occupations were examined with respect to how they met the assumptions involved in Holland's circumplex model. Results indicated that when account was taken of base rate differences in Holland codes, the circumplex model was a good fit to the data. The results have implications for the measurement of RIASEC types and the definition and interpretation of Holland's constructs of consistency and person-environment congruence.