Characterizing occupations with data from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles

In this paper we use available data for the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) reconciled to the 1970 U.S. Census detailed occupational classification to create measures of DOT variables for the 1960 U.S. Census detailed occupational classification. Such measures are needed for cohort or other temporal comparisons employing data coded according to the 1960, 1970, and 1980 detailed occupational classifications and to merge DOT variables with micro-level data sets where occupation is coded using the 1960 detailed classification. We describe procedures used to reconcile the 1960 and 1970 detailed occupational classifications from information currently available and to compute measures of DOT variables for the 1960 classification from measures of DOT variables available for the 1970 classification. We then use confirmatory factor analysis to create summary indices of occupational characteristics for the 1960, 1970, and 1980 Census detailed occupational classification. We hypothesize a factor structure based on substantive conceptual criteria and test this hypothesized structure by estimating a series of modified and nested models. Our analysis produces measures of six occupational characteristics: substantive complexity, motor skill, physical perception, social skill, physical demands, and working conditions. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.