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Social Cognitive Career

Theory of Career Choice


Gail Hackett, Professor & Provost

Development of Banduras
Work
Social Learning Theory
Social learning & personality development
(Bandura & Walters, 1963)
Principles of behavior modification (1969)

Self Efficacy Theory (1977)


Level, strength & generality
Role in mediating choice, performance,
persistence

Social Cognitive Theory


Social foundations of thought & action: A social
cognitive theory (1986)
Self efficacy: The exercise of control (1997)

Our Early Work


Applications of Banduras Self-efficacy Theory
to womens career development
Hackett & Betz (1981) theoretical statement
Direct applications of self efficacy theory to explaining
womens under-representation in male-dominated
occupations
Early areas of study:
Occupational self-efficacy and career interests
Math self-efficacy
Career decision making self-efficacy

Self-efficacy theory also had direct implications for


intervention
Research quickly branched out into applications to
career choice and development more generally

Social Cognitive Career


Theory: Origins
Based on Albert Banduras empirical/theoretical work over
4+ decades (1969, 1977, 1986, 1997)
Application of Banduras social cognitive theory to career
behavior (Lent, Brown & Hackett)
Extended earlier work focused on career self-efficacy beliefs and
their effect on career choice and achievement (Hackett & Betz)
Strong empirical evidence for core of model; increasing support
for full model

Social cognitive theory accords a central role to cognitive,


vicarious, self-regulatory and self-reflective processes in
human adaptation and change (i.e., human agency)
Stands in contrast to conceptions of human functioning that
overemphasize environmental or biological factors

Theory contains direct implications for intervention

Reciprocal determinants of
human functioning

Social Cognitive Career Theory


(Lent, Brown & Hackett, 1994, 2000,
2002)
Contextual Influences
Proximal to Choice Behavior

Person Inputs
Self-efficacy
Expectations

- Predispositions
- Gender
- Race/ethnicity
- Disability/
Health status
Learning
Experiences

Background
Contextual
Background
Affordances

Interests

Outcome
Expectations

Goals

Actions

SCCT Model
Person Inputs and background
context
Person Inputs
- Predispositions
- Gender
- Race/ethnicity
- Disability/
Health status
Learning
Experiences

Background
Contextual
Affordances

Distal Influences

Person Inputs

Race/ethnicity, gender
Physical appearance, health, disabilities
Special abilities, e.g., intelligence, musical ability, artistic ability, muscular
coordination

Environmental conditions & events

Socioeconomic status
Job & training opportunities
Social policies & procedures for selecting trainees & workers
Rate of return for various occupations (ROI)
Labor laws, union rules
Physical events (e.g., earthquakes, hurricanes, droughts, floods)
Availability & demand for natural resources
Technological developments (e.g., computers, web)
Changes is social organizations
Family training experiences & resources, neighborhood & community influences
(e.g., family religion, values, expectations, womens roles, availability of models,
etc.)
Education system (e.g., post-secondary opportunities affected tremendously by
K-12 system)

SCCT Model: Learning effects


on efficacy and outcome
expectations
Self-efficacy
Expectations

Learning
Experiences

Outcome
Expectations

Key Components of Social


Cognitive Theory
Self-Efficacy Expectations: Beliefs in ones capability to organize
and execute the courses of action required to manage
prospective situations (Bandura, 1986)
Cognitive appraisals of ones capacity to perform specific
behaviors (future directed)
Can you do this? How confident are you that you can do this?
Efficacy beliefs influence initiation/choice of activities, effort
expended, persistence in the face of obstacles, and
ultimately success
NOT self-esteem or other trait construct
Outcome Expectations: Beliefs about the consequences of given actions
What will happen if I do this?
Consequences of successful performance

Goals: Determination to engage in a particular activity or to produce a particular


outcome
What do I choose to do?
By setting personal goals, people help to organize, guide, and sustain
their own behavior

Learning Influences:
Sources of Self-Efficacy
Information
Prior Performance
Accomplishment

Vicarious
Learning
Self-Efficacy

Social Persuasion

Physiological and
Affective Reactions

Building Self-efficacy
expectations
Performance Accomplishments

Most powerful influence


Attributions of performance important for take-away
message

Vicarious Learning

Importance of model similarity along dimensions of


importance to the observer
Observation of consequences of models behavior

Social Persuasion

Best when source of persuasion is credible


Most commonly used but least powerful source of
information
Couple with other informational sources

Physiological States and Affective Reactions


Weak efficacy beliefs can produce anxiety/high levels of
anxiety undermine performance
Anxiety reduction can enhance performance & self-efficacy

Attributions of Performance
Attributions of Success
Internal Due to my own skills, abilities:
likely to increase efficacy, performance
External Easy test, course: likely to
undermine or have no effect on efficacy,
performance

Attributions of Failure
Internal Due to my lack of ability:
undermining efficacy, performance
External Due to the Instructor being a hard
grader: No effect on efficacy, performance

Observational Learning

SCCT Model: Learning effects


on efficacy and outcome
expectations
Self-efficacy
Expectations

Learning
Experiences

Outcome
Expectations

Key Components of Social


Cognitive Theory
Self-Efficacy: Beliefs in ones capability to organize and execute the courses of action required to
manage prospective situations
OR cognitive appraisals of ones capacity to perform specific behaviors in the future
Can you do this? How confident are you that you can do this?
Efficacy beliefs determine initiation, choice of activities, effort expended, &
persistence in the face of obstacles

Outcome Expectations: Beliefs about the consequences of given


actions
What will happen if I do this?
Consequences of successful performance
Goals: Determination to engage in a particular activity or to produce a particular outcome
What do I choose to do?
By setting personal goals, people help to organize, guide, and sustain their own behavior

Outcome X Efficacy
Expectations

SCCT Model: Contextual


influences on interests, goals
and actions
Contextual Influences
Proximal to Choice Behavior
Self-efficacy
Expectations

Interests

Outcome
Expectations

Goals

Actions

Key Components of Social


Cognitive Theory
Self-Efficacy: Beliefs in ones capability to organize and execute the courses of action required to
manage prospective situations
OR cognitive appraisals of ones capacity to perform specific behaviors in the future
Can you do this? How confident are you that you can do this?
Efficacy beliefs determine initiation, choice of activities, effort expended, &
persistence in the face of obstacles
Outcome Expectations: Beliefs about the consequences of given actions
What will happen if I do this?
Consequences of successful performance

Goals: Determination to engage in a particular activity or to


produce a particular outcome
What do I choose to do?
By setting personal goals, people help to organize, guide, and
sustain their own behavior

Contextual Influences on Career and


Academic Behavior

Objective and perceived aspects of the


environment influence beliefs, intentions, &
actions
Environmental barriers can erode efficacy and interests
Conversely, strong efficacy can enable an individual to
surmount obstacles and persist in the face of barriers

Three Primary Paths of Contextual


Influences
Distal (early) effects on acquisition of SE and OE
Moderators of interest-choice relations
Direct influences on choice

Social Cognitive Career


Theory
Contextual Influences
Proximal to Choice Behavior

Person Inputs
Self-efficacy
Expectations

- Predispositions
- Gender
- Race/ethnicity
- Disability/
Health status
Learning
Experiences

Background
Contextual
Background
Affordances

Interests

Outcome
Expectations

Goals

Actions

Targets for Intervention


Provide opportunities to build competencies
Strengthen self-efficacy beliefs via the four sources of
information
Realistic self- appraisal of performance accomplishments

Engage in mastery experiences


Recognize strong performance
Develop accurate attributions of performance (success and failure)

Provide strong and varied models

Diversity of academic, work models along varied dimensions of similarity


Coping vs. mastery modeling

Couple verbal/social persuasion with other information sources


Address undermining anxiety related to performance and choice

Strengthen & expand vocational interests in high aptitude areas


Link education to work/careers via career exploration (from written/visual
information thru simulations, modeling, & job shadowing to practica &
internships, research & work experience)

Address unrealistic outcome expectations


Minimize barriers & enhance facilitators
Clarify academic & career goals

Selected References

Lent, R.W. (2013). Social cognitive career theory (pp. 115- 146). In S.D. Brown & R. W. Lent (Eds.),
Career development & counseling: Putting theory and research to work (2nd Ed.). New York: Wiley.
Hackett, G., & Lent, R.W. (2008). Social cognitive theory. In F. T. L. Leong (Editor-in-Chief), H.E.A.
Tinsley (Senior Editor) & S.H. Lease (Associate Editor), Encyclopedia of counseling,
Volume 2:
Personal and emotional counseling. (pp. 767-769). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications.
Betz, N.E., & Hackett, G. (2006). Career Self-efficacy Theory: Back to the Future. Journal of Career
Assessment, 14, 3-11.
Lent, R.W., Brown, S.D., & Hackett, G. (2002). Social cognitive career theory (pp. 255-311). In D.
Brown, L. Brooks, and Associates, Career choice and development (4th Ed.). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Lent, R.W., Brown, S.D., & Hackett, G. (2000). Contextual supports and barriers to career choice: A
social cognitive analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47, 3649.
Hackett, G. (1995). Self-efficacy and career choice and development. In A. Bandura (Ed.), Selfefficacy in adaptation of youth to changing societies (232-258). Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Lent, R. W., Brown, S.D. & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unified social cognitive theory of
career/academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior [Monograph], 45,
79-122.
Hackett, G. & Betz, N.E. (1992). Self-efficacy perceptions and the career-related choices of college
students. In D. H. Schunk & J. L. Meece (Eds.), Student perceptions in the classroom: Causes and
consequences (pp. 229-246). Hillsdale, N.J.: Erlbaum.
Lent, R. W., & Hackett, G. (1987). Career self-efficacy: Empirical status and future directions.
Journal of Vocational Behavior, 30, 347-382. (Monograph.)
Hackett, G. (1985). The role of mathematics self-efficacy in the choice of math-related majors of
college women and men: A path analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 32, 47-56.
Hackett, G., & Betz, N. E. (1981). A self-efficacy approach to the career development of women.
Journal of Vocational Behavior, 18, 326-339.

Questions?

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