There is a moment in every person’s life when they have to decide what they want to do professionally; to do this they must first find out what they like. Kuder’s Vocational Preference Test is a test that assesses these aspects.

This test allows us to guide students and adults who do not know exactly which sector or profession to choose. In this article we will know the 10 scales that the test evaluates, as well as their most relevant characteristics.

Kuder’s vocational preference test: characteristics

The Kuder vocational preference test, also called the Kuder Vocational Preference Scale, was developed by G. Frederic Kuder. Frederic Kuder (1903-2000) was a psychologist with a doctorate in psychology, born in Michigan.

He focused on studying, within the field of psychology, people’s interests, and developed four interest inventories that were translated into different languages.

The age of application of Kuder’s vocational preference test is from 15 years old. It can be administered individually or collectively, and the duration of its application is approximately 1 hour (although there is no time limit).

On the other hand, Kuder’s vocational preference test consists of a standardized and objective cognitive test .

What do you evaluate?

The objective of Kuder’s vocational preference test is to know the general areas where the individual’s interests and preferences are situated with respect to his professional vocation .

The test evaluates different aspects, grouped into 10 areas or fields of preference (the 10 Kuder scales):

1. Outdoor work

High scores on this scale indicate that the subject has preferences for spending time in the countryside, at sea, in forests , etc. He likes to grow plants, look after animals… He or she guides us to a job such as gardening, for example.

These types of subjects would not feel comfortable in a factory, laboratory or office, for example.

2. Mechanical interest

High scores here indicate interest or preference for working with machines and tools , as well as for building or fixing mechanical objects, electrical appliances, furniture, etc.

3. Interest on calculation

It’s typical of people who like to work with numbers. Engineers, mathematicians, etc. belong here.

4. Scientific interest

It is for people who like to investigate facts or things, discover their causes and solve problems of different kinds. They are curious about science. We relate it to professions such as biology, pharmacy, physics, chemistry , etc.

5. Persuasive interest

This area is representative of those subjects who want to deal with people, impose their views, persuade , sell some product or service, etc. Typical of commercials, for example.

6. Artistic-plastic interest

People with a taste for manual work , where combinations of colours, materials, shapes and designs can be used, score high on this scale. In other words, works that require a certain amount of creativity.

7. Literary Interest

This scale belongs to those who feel pleasure in reading and/or expressing their ideas in oral or written form . For example, publishers or writers.

8. Musical interest

Typical of people with a marked taste for playing musical instruments; they usually like to dance, sing, read about music, study the life of famous composers, attend concerts, etc.

9. Interest in social service

High scores on this scale indicate an interest in serving and accompanying others . It appears for example in future doctors, psychologists, social workers, etc.

10. Interest in office work

The last scale of Kuder’s vocational preference test refers to people who like a type of desk-based work, which requires accuracy and precision .

Verification scale

In addition, the test has a Verification Scale (V) which allows you to record carelessness, mistakes and the choice of unlikely answers . Your results will indicate whether the test can be considered valid, doubtful or invalid.

The Test Manual provides an extensive list of occupations grouped according to the main area of interest or by pairs of areas; it is an “a priori” list, depending on the logical or, content analysis.

Areas of application

The fields or contexts where Kuder’s vocational preference test is administered are the school field, to find out the students’ professional interests, and the human resources field (HR), with the same purpose as the previous one, as well as to find out the motivation of the candidates for the different work positions.

Bibliographic references:

  • Cohen, R.J., Swerdlik, M.E. (2002) Psychological testing and assessment. McGraw-Hill. Madrid.
  • TEA Editions. KUDER-C. Registering Vocational Preferences (a).
  • Trejo, A. (2018). Kuder vocational preference test. Psychological Cognition