Examining Links Between Black Women’s Intersectional Identities and Career Interests

Abstract

The current study examined associations of intersectional social identities on Black women’s (N = 126) career self-efficacy and interests at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Structural models examined associations of different aspects of gender and racial identity on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) predictors (i.e., learning experiences and self-efficacy) for each RIASEC career interest. SCCT paths from learning experiences to career interests, via self-efficacy, were supported for all six career interests. For gender norms, domesticity directly predicted learning experiences and indirectly predicted interests for enterprising, investigative, social, and conventional themes; however, primacy of work conformity was not associated with learning experiences or indirect effects for any career interest. Racial centrality only predicted learning experiences and indirect effects on career interests for social careers. Aspects of racial and gender identity may set forth educational decisions that have implications for the eventual careers that many undergraduates pursue.

Social Identities and Cognitive Information Processing Theory: A Qualitative Analysis

“…The main question guiding this research was, “In what ways might social identities influence students’ career-related self-knowledge, options knowledge, decision-making, and executive processing?” Students reported that various SIs influenced each component of career decision-making (Sampson et al, 2023), as well as their overall career decision-making. Our results echo findings from previously described articles of the influence of specific SIs on specific career decision-making constructs, such as how race is related to career interests (Lannin et al, 2023), how social and cultural influences affect options under consideration (Wijekoon & Peter, 2023), how sexual identity can influence career decision-making (Jang et al, 2021a), and how mental health is related to negative career thoughts (Hayden & Osborn, 2020).…”

“…Self-knowledge is a foundational element of career decision-making and includes an understanding of how aspects of self (e.g., interests, skills, values, and culture) inform a career decision (Sampson et al, 2023). SIs appear to have a significant impact on individuals' self-knowledge (Evans & Diekman, 2009;Lannin et al, 2023;Smyth et al, 2018). For example, Smyth et al (2018) found women working agricultural jobs that are commonly associated with masculinity (i.e., farming and ranching) viewed themselves as more masculine, especially in comparison to women in traditionally feminine roles (i.e., homemaker).…”

“…Ross et al (2021) found that resiliency in engineering students who are Black women, as well as their continuance in the field, is dependent on the collaboration of race, gender, and role identity, which is supported by formal, informal, and structural educational experiences. However, while some studies have examined a few social identities through a career theory lens (e.g., Lannin et al, 2023), none have looked at how multiple identities might impact several career decision-making constructs or how. To provide an organizing structure for looking at common career constructs associated with career decision-making, we turn to cognitive information processing theory (Sampson et al, 2023) as an organizing framework as it concisely addresses many elements common to multiple career theories focused on career decision-making.…”

“…Career literature has examined SIs such as race, gender, and sexual orientation and their relationship to specific career constructs such as career interests (e.g., Lannin et al, 2023). Ross et al (2021) found that resiliency in engineering students who are Black women, as well as their continuance in the field, is dependent on the collaboration of race, gender, and role identity, which is supported by formal, informal, and structural educational experiences.…”

“…Some racial differences have been noted on career-related values, such as Anglo-American (this was the term used in the article) mortuary science students reporting lower creativity values, and African American students from the same major reporting higher values for advancement but lower values for social interaction and social relations compared to others (Shaw & Duys, 2005). A study on intersecting identities of Black females (Lannin et al, 2023) predicted social interests but no other Holland (1997) RIASEC interests. Subjective social class has been found to moderate between proactivity personality and entrepreneurial intention, with sex assigned at birth capturing variance in entrepreneurial intention (Zhang et al, 2023).…”