Abstract
Previous theory and research suggests that individuals selectively orient primarily toward the social environment (people) or toward the physical environment (things). These orientations can be conceptualized as motivation-based complexes that influence personal preferences and interests, with consequences for important life choices. This paper examined differential orientation in two studies, one with university students and another with children. Person-thing Orientation showed sex differences and was related to occupational choices in both age groups. For university students person-thing interests were linked to academic majors, and retention within programs focused on things (e.g., science and engineering). Sex differences were greater for TO than PO, but not for students majoring in engineering. Sex differences in selective orientations to the social and physical environments were similar in children (3rd and 6th grade) and university students, suggesting processes may be underway early and may be consequential for sex differences in interests and career trajectories for STEM.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
We conducted an identical factor analysis with the full sample (N = 1,624) and found similar results. Two factors emerged, one PO and one TO with eigenvalues of 5.26 and 2.56, respectively. The correlation between PO and TO in this larger sample, r(1,623) = 0.33, was also similar to the present correlation, r[633] = 0.35.
References
Ackerman, P. L., Bowen, K. R., Beier, M. B., & Kanfer, R. (2001). Determinants of individual differences and gender differences in knowledge. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93, 797–825.
Aiken, L. S., & West, S. G. (1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
American Psychological Association. (2011). What psychology is. Retrieved from www.apa.org/careers/resources/guides/careers.aspx.
Cattell, R. B., & Drevdahl, J. B. (1955). A comparison of the personality profile (16 PF) of eminent researchers with that of eminent teachers and administrators, and of the general population. British Journal of Psychology, 46, 248–261.
Committee on Public Understanding of Engineering Messages, National Academy of Engineering. (2008). Changing the conversation: Messages for improving public understanding of engineering. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
Diekman, A. B., Brown, E. R., Johnston, A. M., & Clark, E. K. (2010). Seeking congruence between goals and roles: A new look at why women opt out of science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers. Psychological Sciences, 21, doi:10.1177/0956797610377342.
Digman, J. M., & Takemoto-Chock, N. K. (1981). Factors in the natural language of personality: Re-analysis, comparison, and interpretation of six major studies. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 16, 149–170.
Durik, A. M., & Haraciewicz, J. M. (2007). Different strokes for different folks: How interest moderates the effects of situational factors on task interest. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99, 597–610.
Eccles, J. S. (2007). Families, schools, and developing achievement-related motivations and engagement. In J. E. Grusec & P. D. Hastings (Eds.), Handbook of socialization (pp. 665–691). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Graziano, W. G., Habashi, M. M., & Woodcock, A. Q. (2011). Measuring differences in person-thing orientations. Personality and Individual Differences, 51, 28–33.
Graziano, W. G., Jensen-Campbell, L. A., Steele, R. C., & Hair, E. C. (1998). Unknown words in self-reported personality: Lethargic and provincial in Texas. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 24, 893–905.
Henry, P. J. (2009). Low-status compensation: A theory for understanding the role of status in Cultures of Honor. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97, 451–466.
Higgins, E. T., & Eccles-Parsons, J. (1983). Social cognition and the social life of the child: Stages as subcultures. In E. T. Higgins, D. N. Ruble, & W. W. Hartup (Eds.), Social cognition and social development: A sociocultural perspective (pp. 15–62). New York: Cambridge University Press.
John, O. P., & Srivastava, S. (1999). The big five trait taxonomy: History, measurement, and theoretical perspectives. In L. A. Pervin, O. P John, (Eds.). Handbook of personality: Theory and research, 2nd ed. pp. 102–138.
Jones, M. G., Howe, A., & Rua, M. (2000). Gender differences in students’ experiences, interests and attitudes toward science and scientists. Science Education, 84, 180–192.
Kelley, H. H., Holmes, J. G., Kerr, N. L., Reis, H. T., Rusbult, C. E., & Van Lange, P. A. M. (2003). An atlas of interpersonal situations. Cambridge: Cambridge University press.
Lippa, R. (1991). Some psychometric characteristics of gender diagnosticity measures: Reliability, validity, consistency across domains and relations to the Big Five. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61, 1000–1011.
Little, B. R. (1968). Psychospecialization: Functions of differential orientation towards persons and things [Abstract]. Bulletin of the British Psychological Society, 21, 113.
Little, B. R. (1972). Psychological man as scientist, humanist, and specialist. Journal of Experimental Research in Personality, 6, 95–118.
Little, B. R. (1974). Person-thing orientation: Manual for the T-P scale, 2nd ed. Unpublished Manual.
Little, B. R. (1999). Personality and motivation: Personal action and the conative revolution. In L. A. Pervin & O. P. John (Eds.), Handbook of personality theory and research (2nd ed., pp. 501–524). New York: Guilford.
National Science Foundation. (2006). Science and engineering indicators. Arlington, VA: NSB-Publication No. 06-01.
Ngambeki, I., Habashi, M. M., Evangelou, D., Graziano, W., Sakka, D., & Çorapci, F. (in press). Using profiles of person-thing orientation to examine the underrepresentation of women in engineering in three cultural contexts. International Journal of Engineering Education.
Patton, W., & Porfeli, E. J. (2007). Career exploration for children and adolescents. In V. B. Skorilov, W. Patton (Eds.), Career development in childhood and adolescence. (pp. 47–70). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Prediger, D. J. (1982). Dimensions underlying Holland’s hexagon: Missing link between interests and occupations? Journal of Vocational Behavior, 21, 259–287.
Rosnowski, M. (1987). Use of tests manifesting sex differences as measures of intelligence: Implications for measurement bias. Journal of Applied Psychology, 72, 480–483.
Sansone, C., & Thoman, D. B. (2005). Interest as the missing motivator in self-regulation. European Psychologist, 10, 175–186.
Savani, K., Markus, H. R., & Conner, A. (2008). Let your preferences be your guide? Preferences & choices are more tightly linked in North Americans than in Indians. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 861–876.
Schmidt, F. (2011). A theory of sex differences in technical aptitude and some supporting evidence. Perspectives on psychological science, 6, 560. doi:10.1177/1745691611419670.
Silvia, P. J. (2006). Exploring the psychology of interest. New York: Oxford University Press.
Snyder, T. D., Dillow, S. A., & Hoffman, C. M. (2009). Digest of educational statistics, 2008 (NCES, 2009–020). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics, Institute for Educational Statistics.
Sodano, S., & Tracey, T. J. G. (2007). Development of career interests and perceived competence. In V. B. Skorilov & W. Patton (Eds.), Career development in childhood and adolescence (pp. 71–86). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Spence, J. T., & Helmreich, R. L. (1978). Masculinity and femininity: Their psychological dimensions, correlates and antecedents. Austin: University of Texas Press.
Su, R., Rounds, J., & Armstrong, P. I. (2009). Men and things, women and people: A meta-analysis of sex differences in interests. Psychological Bulletin, 135, 859–884.
Tay, L., Su, R., & Rounds, J. (2011). People-things and data-ideas: Bipolar dimensions? Journal of Counseling Psychology, 58, 424–440.
Thorndike, E. L. (1911). Individuality. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Tobin, R. M., & Graziano, W. G. (2011). The disappointing gift: Dispositional and situational moderators of emotional expression. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2011.02.010.
Vaillancourt, P. M. (1973). Stability of children’s survey responses. Public Opinion Quarterly, 37, 373–387.
Woodcock, A., Graziano, W. G., Branch, S., Ngambeki, I., & Evangelou, D. (2011). Personality, beliefs, expectancies, and the pursuit of an engineering research career. Manuscript under review.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Graziano, W.G., Habashi, M.M., Evangelou, D. et al. Orientations and motivations: Are you a “people person,” a “thing person,” or both?. Motiv Emot 36, 465–477 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-011-9273-2
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-011-9273-2