This study examined the influence of social cognitive variables on African American adolescents' interest in environmental science. The sample consisted of 132 (57 male, 75 female) high school seniors enrolled in an urban scientific and technical high school from which 95% of graduates continue in higher education. Results of the regression…

Provides a comprehensive view of the decision-making process as it relates to career choice. The steps in this process are (1) problem identification, (2) generation of alternatives, (3) information gathering, and (4) evaluation of alternatives. Individual variations are summarized. (CH)

In an existential framework, career stability and satisfaction are achieved when there is correspondence between one's vocation and opportunities it provides for authentic existence. A career decision-making model based on this framework has four elements: awareness of responsibility and freedom, evaluation of meaning and the authentic self,…

A four-component model for career decision-making counseling relates each component to assessment questions and appropriate intervention strategies. The components are (1) conceptualization (definition of the problem); (2) enlargement of response repertoire (generation of alternatives); (3) identification of discriminative stimuli (consequences of…

Four sources of self-efficacy than can be useful in career counseling are enactive attainments, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and physiological arousal. Self-efficacy interventions may benefit women, minorities, and disadvantaged individuals. The Career Search Self-Efficacy Scale is a useful instrument for such interventions. (SK)

Results of completion of the Career Beliefs Inventory (CBI), NEO Personality Inventory, Self-Directed Search, Vocational Identity scale, and Preconscious Activity scale verified the construct validity of the CBI. CBI scales appeared to measure variance not assessed by the other instruments. (SK)

Looks at what is known about career decision making and what needs to be reconsidered in light of implications for career center practice. Particularly notes putting less emphasis on becoming decided, more on becoming one's own agent, and the importance of addressing client resistance to engaging in more than short-term interventions. (Contains 17…

This article describes the development and psychometric assessment of a multidimensional, domain-specific Career Locus of Control Scale (CLOC) designed for use with adolescent school pupils engaged in the career development and decision-making process. A 47-item version was administered to 743 school pupils, age 15 or 16 years evenly split between…

Reviews the literature to enhance practitioner understanding of career indecision. Attempts to answer two questions: (1) What are correlates of career indecision? and (2) How is it measured? Summarizes findings; suggests research areas. (CH)

Survey responses from 1,213 Turkish management students indicated that the most motivating factors in job selection were power and authority, peaceful work environment, career advancement opportunities, and pay. Least motivating were close supervision, supervisor praise, performance feedback and a sense of belonging. Charismatic leadership style…

Interviews with 10 women employed in trades revealed four significant factors in the choice of nontraditional occupations: perceived innate ability, strong sense of self, desire for independence, and role models, especially family. Formal career education/counseling was not a factor. Contrary to previous studies, only 3 of the 10 were firstborn or…

Seventy college students were randomly assigned to four groups: career planning course, course and SIGI PLUS computer-assisted guidance system, SIGI PLUS only, and control group. Analysis of covariance revealed few differences in decision making and career planning among the treatment groups, supporting the integration of computer-assisted…

A sample of 51 undergraduates rated 51 occupations; half selected the 12 most positive and half the 12 most negative. Ratings made after they read positive or negative depictions of the occupations indicated that expectations about occupations significantly influenced responses to occupational information, supporting the disconfirmation…

College majors of 13,871 medical school graduates were assigned Holland occupational codes. The resulting analysis showed that the majority of medical specialties and subspecialties attracted students from all personality types. (SK)

A sample of 125 adults completed the Dogmatism scale, the NEO Personality Inventory, the Self-Directed Search, and the Preconscious Activity scale. High scores on Openness and Originality correlated with Holland's Artistic and Investigative types, supporting the ordering of types according to potential for creative performance. (SK)