the influence of personality traits on career choice among secondary school students

123 Pages·2016·1.19 MB·English

THE INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY TRAITS ON CAREER
CHOICE AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
IN TANZANIA

Vincent Jalang’o Cosmas

M A (Applied Social Psychology) Dissertation
University of Dar es Salaam,
November, 2010
THE INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY TRAITS ON CAREER
CHOICE AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
IN TANZANIA

By
Vincent Jalang’o Cosmas

A Dissertation Submitted in (Partial) Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree
of Master of Arts (Applied Social Psychology) of the University of
Dar es Salaam

The University of Dar es Salaam,
November, 2010
i
CERTIFICATION
The undersigned certifies that he has read, and hereby recommends, for acceptance by the
University of Dar es Salaam, a dissertation with the title: “The Influence of Personality
Traits on Career Choice among Secondary School Students in Tanzania”, in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Applied Social
Psychology) of the University of Dar es Salaam.

……………………………..
Professor Issa Mcholo Omari
(Supervisor)

Date:……………………..
ii
DECLARATION
AND
COPYRIGHT
I, Vincent Jalang’o Cosmas, declare that this dissertation is my own original work, and
that it has not been presented, and will not be presented, to any other University for a
similar or any other degree award.

Signature:………………………………...

This dissertation is copyright material protected under the Berne Convention, the
Copyright Act of 1999 and other international and national enactments, in that behalf, on
intellectual property. It may not be reproduced by any means, in full or in part, except for
short extracts in fair dealing, for research or private study, critical scholarly review or
discourse with an acknowledgement, without the written permission of the Directorate of
Postgraduate Studies, on behalf of both the author and the University of Dar es Salaam.
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I owe special thanks to the Almighty God, whose power and protection was over me
throughout the time I worked on this dissertation. I am grateful to different people who in
one way or another contributed to the production of this dissertation, with my sincere
gratitude being expressed to my supervisor, Professor Issa Mcholo Omari, for his
academic support, intellectual guidance and great tolerance during my study, without
which, this study could not have been successfully produced.

I am also grateful to Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE) for the financial
support they gave me that made my M.A study possible and affordable.

Special thanks go for my father, Mzee Cosmas, and my mother Regina for their parental
love, care, moral, and material support they gave me that made me become a person of
my own. Great thanks are also extended to my beloved daughter, Omach and my son
Marere and to my beloved wife Kissa, and to my friend Olisa Maina for their constant
prayers and moral support they gave me throughout my study. Lastly, I am grateful to my
fellow M.A students whose academic, social, and moral support was of great value during
the period of my study.
iv
DEDICATION

For the loving memory of my father, Mzee Cosmas Jalang’o, Uncle John Marere, sister
Devota, and brother Amani. May God rest their souls in peace. Amen.
v
ABSTRACT
Human differences and how these differences affect people’s daily lives have been, for a
long time, the subject of interest among personality psychologists. Thus, an understanding
of the relationship between personality traits and career interest is very important. The
objectives of the current study were: First, to investigate the relationship between
personality traits of extraversion and agreeableness and career choices, secondly, to find
out if within a personality trait, there were variations by levels of academic ability in
career choices, and finally, to find out whether career choices differed between boys and
girls of the same personality trait. A sample of 369 Form IV students, of whom 161 were
males, and 208 were females completed Extravert-Introvert Personality Scale, Agreeable-
Less Agreeable Personality Scale, and Career Check List.

The data were subjected to statistical analysis using Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences (SPSS), Version 15.0. The findings showed that 62% of the introverts, 61.9% of
the agreeables, and 55.6% of the extraverts chose computation skills occupations. The
findings further revealed that, high academic ability subjects chose occupations in science
related fields by 67.4% of the introverts, 66.3% of agreeables, 62.0% of less agreeables,
and 59.8% of the extraverts. Low academic ability respondents chose occupations within
social services, by about 59.4% of extraverts, 56.5% of introverts, and 54.7% of the less
agreeables. On the other hand, about 63.5% of the agreeables with low academic abilities
chose computation skills occupations. It was further revealed that there were no sex
differences within extraversion personality trait in career preferences, while the study
showed sex differences within agreeableness personality trait.

It has been recommended that the best way to make students choose occupations which
match their personality traits, sex, and academic ability, was through the establishment of
a proper occupational and educational guidance and counselling services in school
environments.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Certification………………………………………………………………....... i
Declaration and Copyright…………………………………………………… ii
Acknowledgements………………………………………………………….. iii
Dedication…………………………………………………………………… iv
Abstract………………………………………………………………………. v
List of Tables..................................................................................................... xi
List of Figures................................................................................................... xii

CHAPTER ONE: BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM 1
1.0 Introduction........................................................................................ 1
1.1 Background to the Research Problem………………………………. 1
1.2 The Variety of Personality Typologies……………………………… 1
1.3 The Concept of Career Choice……………………………………… 4
1.4 Personality and Career Choices…………………………………….. 5
1.5 Structure of the Occupations available at Form IV and VI…………. 6
1.6 Statement of the Research Problem…………………………………. 7
1.7 Purpose of the Study………………………………………………… 8
1.8 Objectives of the Study…………………………………………… 8
1.9 Research Hypotheses……………………………………………… 8
1.10 Research Tasks and Questions……………………………………… 9
1.11 Conceptual Framework for the Study……………………………… 10
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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
13
2.0 Introduction......................................................................................... 13
2.1 Conceptualising Personality………………………………………… 13
2.2 Personality Typologies……………………………………………… 14
2.2.1 Eysenck’s Hierarchical Model of Personality………………………. 15
2.2.2 The Sixteen Personality Factor System…………………………....... 15
2.2.3 The Big Five Personality Traits Model…………………………....... 16
2.3 The Development of Personality in Individuals…………………..... 18
2.4 Schooling and Career Choices………………………………………. 20
2.5 Determinants of Career Choices…………………………………… 22
2.5.1 Available Opportunities and the Probability of Careers…………… 22
2.5.2 Social Economic Status of Parents and Career Choices…………… 22
2.5.3 Gender and Career Choices…………………………………………. 23
2.5.4 Culture and Career Choices…………………………………………. 24
2.5.5 Significant Others and Career Choices…………………………........ 24
2.6 The Formal Secondary School Education in Tanzania…………… 25
2.7 Available Careers and Career Choices in Tanzania………………… 26
2.8 Theories of Career Choices…………………………………………. 27
2.8.1 Trait and Factor Theory/Person-Environment Fit Theory………....... 28
2.8.2 Personality Based Theory………………………………………........ 29
2.8.3 Social Cognitive Theory of Career Choices…………........................ 30
2.8.4 Social Learning Theory and Career Choices………………………. 32
2.9 Personality Traits and Career Choices……………………………… 33
viii
2.9.1 Extraversion Personality Trait and Career Choices…………………. 34
2.9.2 Agreeableness Personality Trait and Career Choices……………..... 35
2.10 Academic Ability and Career Choices……………………………… 35
2.11 Sex Differences in Career Choices…………………………………. 37

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 39
3.0 Introduction...................................................................................... 39
3.1 The Study Area……………………………………………………. 39
3.1.1 Geographical Location of Iringa Urban District………………...... 40
3.1.2 Population of the District………………………………………….. 40
3.1.3 Economic Activities in the Districts………………………………. 40
3.1.4 Literacy Level in the Catchment Area…………………………… 41
3.2 Research Design………………………………………………….. 41
3.3 The Population and Sample of the Study…………………………. 42
3.4 Target Population…………………………………………………. 42
3.5 Sampling Procedures……………………………………………… 42
3.5.1 Selection of the Schools………………………………………....... 42
3.5.2 Selection of the Grade Level……………………………………… 44
3.5.3 Selection of the Streams………………………………………....... 44
3.6 The Sample Size………………………………………………….. 44
3.7 Data Collection Instruments………………………………………. 45
3.7.1 Student’s Career Check List………………………………………. 45
3.7.2 Personality Scales…………………………………………………. 46
3.7.2.1 Extravert-Introvert Personality Scale…………………………....... 46