RIASEC Personalities and Four Personal Styles

By Dr. Mary Askew http://www.hollandcodes.com

There is a relationship between the RIASEC personalities and four personal styles. The

personal styles are work style, learning environment, leadership style, and risk taking and

adventure seeking.

Personal Style One: The Work Style

Work styles involved our preferences for working with ideas, data, things, or people. High

Realistic and High Investigative types looked for opportunities with ideas, data, or things.

Students who pursued work with ideas, data, or things sought careers in:

Biological sciences

Engineering

Mathematics

Computer and informational science

Physical sciences

Machine trades

The High Enterprising and High Social students enjoyed working with people. These individuals

followed jobs in business, education, journalism, and social science.

Personal Style Two: The Learning Environment

The second factor was the learning environment. The learning environment factor described

a selection of either academic learning environments or practical-oriented learning situations.

High Investigative and High Artistic men and women like to work in an (academic) learning

environment. These individuals expressed interests in cultural events, educational pursuits,

research, and verbal activities.

Students who relished academic learning environments undertook majors in:

Arts

Cultural Studies

Communication

History

Journalism

Language

Literature

Physical sciences

Research

Social sciences

The High Realistic and High Enterprising clients or students adapted better to practical, hands-on

learning. Students who picked to learn in more practical settings expressed interests in business

activities, physical activities, and technical activities. These clients or students entered careers in

Agriculture, Business, Law Enforcement, Machine trades, and Vocational Technical majors.

Personal Style Three: The Leadership Style

The third personal style was Leadership Style. The Leadership Style reflected a preference

for directing people, leading people, meeting people, and persuading people. People with

leadership qualities tended to be High Artistic, High Enterprising, and High Social. They liked

to direct, persuade, lead others, and take charge. High Enterprising individuals were social and

verbal; they appreciated working with people. High Enterprising clients or students showed a

preference for Law/ Politics, Organizational management, and Public speaking. They liked

majors such as History, Journalism, Law, and Social science.

Other clients or students made a choice to lead by example. They did not like to take

charge. They preferred to do the task themselves. As introverts, they lead by example. They

liked majors such as Agriculture, Biological sciences, Machine trades, Mathematics, and

Physical sciences.

Personal Style Four: The Risk Taking/ Adventure Seeking Style

The fourth factor was Risk Taking/ Adventure Seeking. This factor indicated a willingness

to take physical and social risks, to act spontaneously and playfully, and to seek novel sensation

and thrills. Clients or students who possessed risk taking/ adventure seeking qualities are

extroverted, independent, and social. They were prone to careers in:

Athletics

Auto mechanics

Carpenters

Electricians

Jet fighters

Paramedics

Police officers

Politics

Public speaking

Source: Bergen, Fred (1996) Linking Interest Assessment and Personality Theory In M. L.Savickas & W. B. Walsh (Editors), Handbook of Career Counseling Theory and Practice. PaloAlto, CA.: Davies-Black Publishing.