Social Cognitive Career Theory of Career Choice

Development of Bandura’s 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)

Social Cognitive Career Theory: Origins

o Based on Albert Bandura’s empirical/theoretical work over 4+ decades (1969, 1977, 1986, 1997)

o Application of Bandura’s social cognitive theory to career behavior (Lent, Brown & Hackett)

o Extended earlier work focused on career self-efficacy beliefs and their effect on career choice and achievement (Hackett & Betz)

o Strong empirical evidence for core of model; increasing support for full model

o 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)o Stands in contrast to conceptions of human functioning that overemphasize

environmental or biological factors

o Theory contains direct implications for intervention

‘’People’s level of motivation, affective states, and actions are based more on what they believe than on what is objectively the case’’ Albert Bandura

Reciprocal determinants of human functioning

BehaviorHuman Development

Environmental Factors

Personal Factors

Cognitive, Affective (including belief’s), And Biological Events

BackgroundBackgroundContextualAffordances

Person Inputs

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

Learning Experiences

Self-efficacyExpectations

Outcome Expectations

Interests Goals Actions

Contextual InfluencesProximal to Choice Behavior

Social Cognitive Career Theory(Lent, Brown & Hackett, 1994, 2000, 2002)

BackgroundContextualAffordances

Learning Experiences

SCCT ModelPerson Inputs and background context

Person Inputs

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

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, women’s roles, availability of models, etc.)– Education system (e.g., post-secondary opportunities affected tremendously by K-12

system)

Learning Experiences

Self-efficacyExpectations

Outcome Expectations

SCCT Model: Learning effects on efficacy and outcome expectations

Key Components of Social Cognitive Theory

o Self-Efficacy Expectations: Beliefs in one’s capability to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations (Bandura, 1986)• Cognitive appraisals of one’s 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

o Outcome Expectations: Beliefs about the consequences of given actions• What will happen if I do this?• Consequences of successful performance

o 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

Prior PerformanceAccomplishment

VicariousLearning

Social Persuasion

Physiological andAffective Reactions

Self-Efficacy

Learning Influences:Sources of Self-Efficacy Information

Building Self-efficacy expectationso Performance Accomplishments

• Most powerful influence • Attributions of performance important for take-away message

o Vicarious Learning• Importance of model similarity along dimensions of importance to the observer• Observation of consequences of model’s behavior

o Social Persuasion• Best when source of persuasion is credible• Most commonly used but least powerful source of information• Couple with other informational sources

o 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

o 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

o 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

Outcome X Efficacy Expectations

Self-efficacyExpectations

Outcome Expectations

Interests Goals Actions

Contextual InfluencesProximal to Choice Behavior

SCCT Model: Contextual influences on interests, goals and actions

o Self-Efficacy: Beliefs in one’s capability to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations

• OR cognitive appraisals of one’s 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

o Outcome Expectations: Beliefs about the consequences of given actions• What will happen if I do this?• Consequences of successful performance

o 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

Key Components of Social Cognitive Theory

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

BackgroundBackgroundContextualAffordances

Person Inputs

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

Learning Experiences

Self-efficacyExpectations

Outcome Expectations

Interests Goals Actions

Contextual InfluencesProximal to Choice Behavior

Social Cognitive Career Theory

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