On the Meaning of the MMPI Mf and SVIB MF Scales

Abstract

Correlations between the MMPI, SVIB and KPR for male student and non‐student samples showed no meaningful relationships. However, consistently significant correlations between interests and masculinity‐femininity scores were found. These results challenge the concept of sex connotations attached to vocational interests. The authors recommend revision of the MMPI Mf scale and a renaming or elimination of the SVIB MF scale.

Masculinity-femininity: An exception to a famous dictum?

“…The highest, correlations are to be found between the MMPI Mf scale and the SVIB MF scale, with rs approximating .70 in mixed-sex groups (Heston, 1948;Nance, 1949). Among males only, they range from .32 to .53, with a concentration around .50 (Barrows & Zuckerman, 1960;Himelstein & Stoup, 1967;Nance, 1949;Shepler, 1951;Wright & L'Abate, 1970), while for females only they range from .20 to .55 (Klopfer, 1966;Nance, 1949;Shepler, 1951). It is generally agreed that the "interest" aspect of both scales is the major contributor to these correlations; one would therefore expect that the MMPI would correlate even more highly with the Terman-Miles, since in both of these scales the major clusters of items reflect interests and emotional attitudes.…”

'Masculinity-Femininity: An Exception to a Famous Dictum?'

“…The highest correlations are to be found between the MMPI Mf scale and the SVIB MF scale, with rs approximating .70 in mixed-sex groups (Heston, 1948;Nance, 1949). Among males only, they range from .32 to .53, with a concentration around .50 (Barrows and Zuckerman, 1960;Himelstein and Stoup, 1967;Nance, 1949;Shepler, 1951;Wright and L'Abate, 1970), while for females only they range from .20 to .55 (Klopfer, 1966;Nance, 1949;Shepler, 1951). It is generally agreed that the 'interest' aspect of both scales is the major contributor to these correlations; one would therefore expect that the MMPI would correlate even more highly with the Terman-Miles, since in both of these scales the major clusters of items reflect interests and emotional attitudes.…”