College students' perceptions of job demands, recommended retirement ages, and age of optimal performance in selected occupations.
Two studies were conducted. In study one 100 participants rated 60 occupations on the amount of cognitive/intellectual, physical, sensory-perceptual, and perceptual-motor demands they perceived as required for successful performance in that particular occupation. Results of a cluster analysis determined four clusters of occupations on the basis of the four demands. These clusters were described as High Risk, Professions, Skilled Trades, and White Collar. Further, for each of the four demands/dimensions, the cognitive/intellectual, physical, sensory-perceptual, and perceptual motor demands were significantly different both between and within clusters. In study two, 100 participants rated the perceived retirement age, and 99 different participants rated the perceived optimal performance age for the 60 occupations employed in study one. Results indicated that age norms for perceived recommended retirement and perceived optimal performance age were differentially correlated across the four clusters of occupations. Perceived retirement age and optimal performance age varied discriminably between occupational clusters.
Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Newark 43055, USA. panek.1@osu.edu
Paul E
PE
Panek
Sara
S
Staats
Amanda
A
Hiles
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009790:Occupations; D010465:Perception; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities