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An Examination of the Applicability of Social Cognitive Career Theory for African American College Students

Dickinson, Josephine A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1185466028

Abstract Details

2007, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, Counseling Psychology.
Lent, Brown, and Hackett’s (1994) social cognitive career theory (SCCT) is a theoretical model of career development that delineates how person, contextual, and sociocognitive factors affect the formation of vocational interests, career choice goals, career choice actions, and academic/career performance attainments. Although considerable research support has been demonstrated for several key paths in SCCT, several other areas of SCCT have been under-researched or have received mixed empirical support. The purpose of the present study was to address several limitations of the extant literature. Specifically, the present study examined (a) the applicability of SCCT with an African American sample, (b) the validity of SCCT across Holland’s (1997) six vocational domains, (c) the role of specific learning experiences in the formation of corresponding self-efficacy and outcome expectations, and (d) the moderating role of perceptions of racism in the relationship between vocational interests and corresponding choice goals. Results of path analyses based on a sample of 208 African American college students revealed strong support for all of the hypothesized relations involving corresponding learning experiences, self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations, vocational interests and choice goals for each of the six Holland themes. Furthermore, although the nature of some of the observed relations (i.e., direct vs. indirect) was not always supportive of my hypotheses, overall, the results indicated that SCCT is a valid model to use with African Americans. In addition, the results revealed strong support for the applicability of SCCT to Holland’s (1997) RIASEC themes. Regarding the role of specific learning experiences in self-efficacy and outcome expectations, results revealed partial support for both my hypothesis that verbal persuasion would contribute most strongly and SCCT’s prediction that performance accomplishments would account for the majority of the unique variance. These findings suggest that for African American college students, the role that learning experiences play in the formation of their self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations is domain-specific. Finally, results of moderated regressions and follow-up analyses tended not to support the hypothesis that perceptions of racism would moderate the relationship between vocational interests and choice goals. The results revealed that perceptions of racism significantly moderated the interests-goals relation in only one model – the Realistic model for men – and, contrary to prediction, a greater perception of racism actually strengthened the Realistic interests-choice goals relationship.
David Tokar (Advisor)
205 p.
Psychology, Clinical
Social Cognitive Career Theory; Career Development; African American College Students

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Dickinson, J. A. (2007). An Examination of the Applicability of Social Cognitive Career Theory for African American College Students [Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1185466028

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Dickinson, Josephine. An Examination of the Applicability of Social Cognitive Career Theory for African American College Students. 2007. University of Akron, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1185466028.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Dickinson, Josephine. "An Examination of the Applicability of Social Cognitive Career Theory for African American College Students." Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1185466028

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.