SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— J. 



4i3 



reflect the true picture of social reality. As the industrial area under con- 

 sideration is subject to evolutionary transformation, it is necessary to indicate 

 the kind of problems which cannot be explained in terms of economics. 

 The economist has to make certain assumptions as to the constellation of 

 the social data. From his point of view, he considers it the task of the other 

 social sciences to provide him with more adequate information as to the 

 implications of his economic assumptions. An attempt is made to show 

 how closer co-operation of social scientists might lead to explaining with 

 greater validity the social complexity of an industrial area. 



Mr. W. O'D. Pierce. — A new approach to vocational psychology with 

 empirical data on job changes (2.0). 



The underlying assumptions, attitudes, and methods employed by British 

 vocational psychologists were compared and contrasted with the attitudes 

 and methods of German and American vocational psychologists. Vocational 

 psychology cannot be regarded as vocational guidance combined with 

 industrial psychology. Vocational psychology can be a positive science which 

 aims at describing and measuring the attitudes and behaviour patterns which 

 arise during the industrial life of the individual as well as the individual and 

 group behaviour in emotionally toned industrial situations. The industrial 

 social data, after collection by a team of field workers, is then analysed by 

 statistical means to show the various differential occupational patterns exist- 

 ing and their relationship to other social patterns. 



The empirical data presented consisted of the analysis of changes in 

 occupations occurring in the period July 1, 1934, to July 1, 1935, as recorded 

 in Juvenile Employment Bureau. An occupation change includes return 

 either to the same or to a different job inside the period mentioned. The main 

 results may be summarised as follows. 



Total and Averages 



404 



36-7 



1 -72 



2-98 



The jobs held per changer with age were 14-15 years 2-81 ; 15-16 years 

 323; 16-17 years 2-58 ; 17-18 years 2-79. 



The data clearly shows that differential occupation job change patterns 

 occur in different industries. The figures show that while approximately 

 8,500 jobs were available for juveniles, the job changers, who number 36-7 

 per cent, of this juvenile industrial population, held over 9,300 jobs inside a 

 one- year period. Flow sheets of job changes between different occupations 

 and industries were also presented. 



The significance of this data and their relationships to the problems of 

 vocational guidance inside a comprehensive study of the vocational psychology 

 of an industrial area was outlined. 



