The first part of the twentieth century saw the beginnings of which movement in America?

The first part of the twentieth century saw the beginnings of which movement in America?

• A. Systematic vocational guidance
• B. Psychoanalytic theory
• C. Community counseling
• D. Group therapy

Answer: (A)

Early in the twentieth century America saw the birth of a movement focused on helping people choose careers through organized, scientific guidance. Frank Parsons, often called the father of vocational guidance, argued for a systematic process: assess a person’s abilities, interests, and personality traits; compare them with the demands of various occupations; and place individuals in suitable roles. This led to the creation of early guidance services and bureaus, establishing a professional practice around occupational matching and testing. While psychoanalytic theory and other approaches were developing, they did not represent the same organized career-guidance movement that Parsons helped inaugurate. Group therapy and community counseling would become more prominent later in history, whereas the earliest organized effort in this context was systematic vocational guidance.

Early in the twentieth century America saw the birth of a movement focused on helping people choose careers through organized, scientific guidance. Frank Parsons, often called the father of vocational guidance, argued for a systematic process: assess a person’s abilities, interests, and personality traits; compare them with the demands of various occupations; and place individuals in suitable roles. This led to the creation of early guidance services and bureaus, establishing a professional practice around occupational matching and testing. While psychoanalytic theory and other approaches were developing, they did not represent the same organized career-guidance movement that Parsons helped inaugurate. Group therapy and community counseling would become more prominent later in history, whereas the earliest organized effort in this context was systematic vocational guidance.