This article begins by reviewing the scientific origins of research on career self-efficacy, highlighting its original development as a means of understanding the career development of women and discussing its development through the years into what is now, along with its extension as social cognitive career theory, a widely applicable major…

Summarizes Bandura's self-efficacy theory. Reviews occupational, scientific-technical, and mathematics self-efficacy, Holland's hexagonal model, the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale, and the relationship of self-efficacy to vocational interests. Considers the applicability of these concepts to women's career development and assessment. (SK)

Addresses absence of a comprehensive model of the career development of racial and ethnic minority women. Selectively reviews the literature on African American women's career development to clarify how social cognitive mechanisms may be operating. Focuses on the central elements of social cognitive theory, namely, self-efficacy and outcome…

This model postulates that because of women's socialization they lack strong expectations of personal efficacy in relationship to career-related behaviors, thus failing to realize their capabilities and talents. Sex differences in the access to and availability of information important to developing strong expectations of personal efficacy are…