People-versus-things career interest divide

Topic

The people-versus-things career interest divide is a major psychological dimension of vocational interest that distinguishes individuals who prefer working with people (such as in teaching, social work, or healthcare) from those who prefer working with inanimate objects, tools, or machinery (such as in engineering or technology). Originally conceptualized as a key axis in Dale Prediger's work on the Holland Codes (RIASEC) framework, this divide represents one of the largest and most consistent gender differences in personality and vocational psychology, with men generally showing a stronger preference for things and women showing a stronger preference for people. This interest gap is frequently cited as a primary factor explaining gender disparities in STEM fields and other occupational choices.