defined more narrowly as interests that are simply patterns of item
responses on interest inventories (Spokane & Decker, 1999).
The empirical evidence bearing on this problem is growing, but
much remains to be learned. In a particularly provocative article,
Borgen (1986) argues that when using the NEO-PIR (Costa &
McCrae, 1992), interests and personality were not highly correlated
until neuroticism is removed as a confounder. Stated another way,
when working within the normal range of personality (absent sig-
nificant pathology), interests and personality overlap substantially
for both men and women (r= .48). As the magnitude of this corre-
lation approaches 1.0, the two constructs in question (interest and
personality) could be considered to be identical. Correlations of
near .50 suggest moderate levels of overlap. Similarly, even when
neuroticism is not controlled for (Schinka, Dye, & Curtiss, 1997;
Tokar & Fischer, 1998; Tokar & Swanson, 1995), correlations be-
tween Holland types and Extraversion and Openness scales of the
NEO-PIR are substantial. Replications with European samples
yielded similar findings (De Fruyt & Merivelde, 1997, 1999).
Gottfredson, Jones, and Holland (1993) examined the rela-
tionship between Holland’s types and personality dimensions on
the NEO-PIR (Costa & McCrae, 1992) in 725 military recruits.
Correlations between VPI scales and NEO types were modest but
in expected directions (for example, Aesthetics r= .45 with Artis-
tic type). Similarly, Gottfredson and Jones (1993) conducted a
reanalysis of indices of profile elevation and differentiation relating
them to several personal and psychological variables. Elevation
appeared to be associated with Openness to Experience, Status, and
Involvement for men and women, and with Extraversion for men.
Elevation was also strongly associated with Acquiescence and neg-
atively correlated with Control and Masculinity. Although no mea-
sure of depression was available in this reanalysis, the possibility of
a relationship between depression and profile elevation has been
discussed for years.
Similarly, Strack (1994) found correlations ranging from −.34
to .46 between SDS type scores and Millon Personality Styles, with
402 CAREER CHOICE AND DEVELOPMENT