Career decision making, cognitive flexibility and perceived parental expectations among higher secondary students

Abstract

Career decisions play an important role in how one's social, emotional and economic well-being is going to be and hence are considered one of the most important decisions in one's lifetime. In this view, the career decision making of higher secondary students, being in an important phase of deciding and planning their career and choosing a major to pursue in the immediate future, as examined. The extent to which career decision making is predicted by cognitive flexibility and perceived parental expectations is also examined here. Using convenience sampling, data collection was done on a sample of n=216 students of Class 11 and 12. On analysis of the collected data, results show that 97% of the students are tentative on career decision making, meaning they are neither decided nor indecisive. The three variables of this study are significantly correlated. Perceived parental expectations and cognitive flexibility both significantly predict career decision making and the R 2 value is.068. Career decision making differs significantly between different family types. The implications are stated.