their dominant profile is SAE, there is a distribution of subtypes
within the group (SAE = 7, SAI = 4, SIA = 4, SEA = 3, SEC = 2,
SCI = 2, SAC = 1, ASI = 1). Such a distribution is common when
examining work environments and suggests that although many
individuals resemble the dominant subtype (in this case SAE), some
individuals will resemble variations of the code, and some will be
incongruent.
People Interacting with Work Environments
The remaining theoretical propositions cover the interactions of
persons and environments. These propositions are critical theoret-
ically and practically but in spite of their importance have received
only scant attention in the research literature (see Spokane, 1985;
Spokane et al., 2001, for reviews).
- People find environments reinforcing and satisfying when
environmental patterns resemble their personality patterns.
This situation makes for stability of behavior because per-
sons receive a good deal of selective reinforcement of their
behavior. - Incongruent interactions stimulate change in human
behavior; conversely, congruent interactions encourage
stability of behavior. Persons tend to change or become like
the dominant persons in the environment. This tendency
is greater, the greater the degree of congruence is between
the person and the environment. Those persons who are
most incongruous will be changed least. - A person resolves incongruence by seeking a new and con-
gruent environment or by changing personal behavior and
perceptions. - The reciprocal interactions of person and successive jobs
usually lead to a series of success and satisfaction cycles.
[pp. 53–54]
388 CAREER CHOICE AND DEVELOPMENT