surprising amount (though certainly not all) of this research has
been supportive of the existence of a limited set of types, the under-
lying circular (or hexagonal) structure of those types, the validity of
the instruments to measure types (though not to the same degree
for the instruments designed to measure environments), and, to a
lesser extent, the interactive proposition of the theory. The cross-
cultural validity and utility of the model and the interventions that
logically derive from it remain to be demonstrated (though absent
a sufficient body of rigorous empirical evidence, we should no more
assume that the model is culturally nonviable than we should
assume that it is). In addition, Holland’s devotion to practical ap-
plication has resulted in the evaluation of the functional utility of
several of the assessment devices generated by the model and the
resulting adoption of the model in schools, colleges, industry, and
private practices. The combination of empirical support and prac-
tical application accounts for the theory’s popularity among the
public, as well as among professionals. The practical nature of the
theory is illustrated in the case studies—one of which has cultural
implications.
A Culture-Centered, Person-Environment
Approach to the Cases of K and E
The cases of K and E provide a good opportunity to illustrate the
subtleties of Holland’s theory and to underscore the importance of
addressing intervention issues in the formulation of a career theory.
Before responding to the cases, however, we want to discuss a few
assumptions and observations about the career development process
consistent with the Holland theory.
First, and perhaps most important, the core process in the Hol-
land model is the projection of the respondent’s personality onto
occupational titles. The effectiveness (completeness) of that pro-
jection process depends on a number of internal and external fac-
tors, the most crucial of which is the clarity of that individual’s
personality at the moment in which the projection process is being
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