Table 3 Association of spontaneously mentioning medicine with demographic, educational, personality and job type measures

 Sex (% Female)

60.4 % (154)

47.2 % (1410)

Phi = .079, X ²  = 9.72, 1df, p  = .002

 Ethnicity (% BME)

74.8 % (107)

35.9 % (1213)

Phi = .244; X ²  = 80.5, 1df, p  < .001

 English not first language

60.7 % (145)

26.2 % (325)

Phi = .231 , X ²  = 73.7, 1df, p  < .001

 Free school meals

14.5 % (145)

14.6 % (1239)

Phi = −.001; X² = .002, 1df, p = .968

 Family income (£000)

33.1 (22.6; 59)

37.9 (19.8; 510)

t = −1.70, 567 df, p = .091

 Parental education level

2.43 (1.09; 63)

2.20 (1.17; 570)

t = 1.47, 631 df, p = .142

 Death of parent, brother, sister, grandparent or close friend

20.8 % (154)

25.5 % (1410)

Phi = −.032, X² = 1.62, 1df, p = .203

 Serious illness or injury in self, family or close friend

24.7 % (154)

28.9 % (1410)

Phi = −.028, X² = 1.24, 1df, p = .266

 KS2 English

4.35 (.68; 139)

4.26 (.69; 1197)

t = 1.36, 1334 df, p = .175

 KS2 maths

4.41 (.76; 139)

4.30 (.76; 1203)

t = 1.72, 1340 df, p = .273

 Cognitive ability test; verbal

101.7 (13.0; 96)

103.2 (12.1; 869)

t = −1.17, 963 df, p = .244

 Cognitive ability test; non-verbal

104.6 (14.7; 96)

102.3 (13.8; 869)

t = 1.53, 963 df, p = .127

 Cognitive ability test; quantitative

103.9 (14.4; 96)

102.2 (13.5; 869)

t = 1.20, 963 df, p = .231

 KS3 (year 7) English

10.70 (2.36; 128)

10.86 (2.53; 1132)

t = −.675 , 1258 df, p = .500.

 KS3 (year 7) Maths

11.94 (2.75; 128)

11.42 (3.01; 1134)

t = 1.89 , 1260 df, p = ..060

 KS3 (year 7) Science

11.43 (2.13; 128)

11.07 (2.15; 1135)

t = 1.84 , 1261 df, p = 067.

 KS3 (year 7) average

11.36 (2.05; 128)

11.11 (2.28;1135 )

t = 1.17, 1261 df, p = .241

 Neuroticism

2.63 (1.13; 76)

3.02 (1.07; 613)

t = −3.04, 687 df, p  = .002

 Extraversion

3.74 (.77; 74)

3.70 (.85; 613)

t = .448, 687 df, p = .654

 Openness to experience

4.37 (.64; 76)

4.14 (.73; 614)

t = .2.68, 688 df, p  = .007

 Agreeableness

4.45 (.68; 76)

4.30 (.76; 615)

t = 1.62, 689 df, p = .106

 Conscientiousness

3.91 (.75; 76)

3.91 (.75; 613)

t = 2.81, 687 df, p  = .005

 Preference for Realistic jobs (R)

3.85 (.17; 129)

3.91 (.20; 1170)

t = −3.00, 1297 df, p  = .003

  Preference for Investigative jobs (I)

3.43 (.19; 129)

3.28 (.20; 1170)

t = 8.52, 1297 df, p  < .001

 Preference for Artistic jobs (A)

3.32 (.21; 129)

3.38 (.24; 1170)

t = −2.73, 1297 df, p  = .006

 Preference for Social jobs (S)

3.07 (.17; 129)

3.03 (.17; 1170)

t = 1.93, 1297 df, p = .053

  Preference for Enterprising jobs (E)

4.17 (.13; 129)

4.21 (.14; 1170)

t = −2.73, 1297 df, p  = .006

  Preference for Conventional jobs (C)

3.71 (.14; 129)

3.67 (.15; 1170)

t = 2.53, 1297 df, p  = .011

 People (SAE) rather than Things (RIC)

−1.22 (.81; 129)

−1.10 (1.02; 1170)

t = −1.24, 1297 df, p = .216

  Data (CE) rather than Ideas (IA)

1.92 (.68; 129)

2.08 (.73; 1170)

t = 2.44, 1297 df, p  = .015

  Preference for high prestige jobs

1.30 (.721; 121)

.249 (.856; 1124)

t = 13.02, 1243 df, p  < .001