estimate P’s standing on such 10-point scales from other data (for
example, biographical data, interest, and personality inventory
data). Also the 10-point scale might be anchored to the general
population and might stand for particular percentiles (for example,
top 1 percent, top 10 percent, top 15 percent, top 25 percent, upper
50 percent, lower 50 percent, lower 40 percent, lower 30 percent,
lower 20 percent, lowermost 10 percent, representing 10, 9, 8, 7, 6,
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, respectively, on the rating scale.)
Personality Profile
A good way to view the total personality, given the measurements
just discussed, would be to display the various scores as profiles (usu-
ally, one profile for each kind of variable). The advantage of a pro-
file of scores is that it displays many features not readily seen from
just a collection of scores. For example, one can see the overall ele-
vation of scores (the mean of the profile) and the dispersion of scores
around the mean (whether there are outstanding highs or lows or
whether the scores are bunched up around the mean). Using the
same set of variables, profiles can be correlated with other profiles
(for example, a person’s profile with an occupation’s profile, a per-
son’s profile with another person’s profile, and so on).
E Measurement
This section would be incomplete without a word about E measure-
ment. As might be recalled from the previous discussion, in PEC the-
ory E measurement parallels P measurement, but with a difference.
Whereas the focus of ability measurement for P is on the abilities P
has, the corresponding focus for E is on E’s ability requirements (E’s
response needs). Whereas the focus of need measurement for P is on
values (P’s reinforcer requirements), the corresponding focus for E is
on the reinforcers E provides (E’s reinforcement capabilities). These
complementary emphases make it possible to operationalize “P-E cor-
respondence.” The Minnesota Occupational Classification System
448 CAREER CHOICE AND DEVELOPMENT