Culture, Motivation, and Vocational Decision-Making of Australian Senior High School Students in Private Schools

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of culture and motivation in the occupational decisions of senior high school students attending private schools. A theoretical framework guided the study. A questionnaire was administered to 492 Grade 11 students attending a stratified random sample of six independent (private) schools located in the Sydney (Australia) metropolitan area. Structural equation modelling was performed on the data collected. The major findings of the study centre on a new model of vocational decision-making, which provides empirical support for relationships between cultural orientation variables, expectancy-value variables, and related constructs. The findings may be used to advise senior high school students making occupational decisions. ■

The Occupational/Career Decision-Making Processes of Intellectually Gifted Adolescents From Economically Disadvantaged Backgrounds: A Mixed Methods Perspective

“…These studies have indicated that interest and enjoyment of an occupation may be positively associated with a desire for intellectual stimulation and recognition from others, but negatively associated with the income that may be obtained from an occupation. Some differences appear to exist between the various elements of these career decision-making processes, and those that have been identified in the decision-making processes for adolescents in general, including considerations by intellectually gifted adolescents of a desire for intellectual stimulation and the fulfilment of potential (Jung & McCormick, 2011; Jung, McCormick, Gregory, & Barnett, 2011).…”

Career Decisions of Gifted Students in Turkey

“…Furthermore, the differences within the same time interval may be attributed to cultural values and gender role differences in different cultures. Cultural orientation is one of the fundamental elements of career decision-making processes among adolescents Jung, McCormick, Gregory & Barnett, 2011). For instance, it was observed that girls were usually directed to career fields of medicine and education in Turkey (Bozgeyik, Doğan & Işıklar, 2010).…”

Occupational/Career Indecision for Economically Disadvantaged High School Students of High Intellectual Ability: A Mixed‐methods Cognitive Process Model

“…The six items that were designed to assess the valuing of the thoughts of family on general matters were originally adapted from scales used by Hui () and Brew, Hesketh, and Taylor (). The scale has been demonstrated to be valid and reliable (α = .83 in Jung et al., ; α = .84 in Jung & McCormick, ) on multiple occasions.…”

“…The six items that were designed to assess family influence on the occupational decision originated from items in a number of scales (Ajzen & Driver, ; Fitzmaurice, ) that were developed, refined, and psychometrically tested over two phases of data collection with 1,058 high school students (Jung & McCormick, ; Jung, McCormick, Gregory, & Barnett, ). The Cronbach alpha of the scale was high in Jung and McCormick (; α = .91).…”