Model Influence on Career Choices of College Students

Engen

Vocational Guidance Quarterly

1984

A significant task for students completing their high school education is determining what they will do during the next stage of their lives. For some, choosing an occupation and finding their first full-time job will be the major immediate challenges. For others, choosing a college and selecting a particular course of study will constitute the major decisionmaking goals at this stage. Clearly, no matter which path students choose to follow beyond high school, this is a time for important career decisions to be weighed and implemented.Despite the fact that these decisions, like most in life, are not irrevocable, they do carry with them a certain amount of pressure. This pressure is generated by expectations-sometimes unrealistic-of parents and educators as well as by a spectrum of peer-group anxieties tied to an unfortunate lack of reality testing.Counselors, by virtue of their central role and function in this area, are charged with helping students gather information, explore options, and consider alternative plans during this stage of career decision making. Teachers, parents, and friends playa part in this process, although their involvement is often a function of circumstance rather than prescription. Certain experiences, such as interesting classes, extracurricular and outof-school activities, and the results of various tests also often have a role in influencing the outcome of this transitional stage. Richard]. Noeth is director of admissions and guidance programs, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey. Harold B. Engen is an associate professor ofcounselor education, University ofIowa, Iowa City. Patricia E. Noeth is an information analyst, ERIC Clearinghouse, Educational Testing Service, Princeton. 240 THE VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE QUARTERLY

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

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confidence: 99%

Making Career Decisions: A Self‐Report of Factors That Help High School Students

Engen

Vocational Guidance Quarterly

1984

The Career Development Quart

“…Previous research suggests that role models who are similar with regard to gender and ethnicity may have a greater influence on career development (Karunanayake & Nauta, 2004). The similarity between an individual and the career role model may be especially important for women who are interested in Investigative careers because the underrepresentation of women in nontraditional occupations has been cited as a barrier to women's entry into this field (Basoc & Howe, 1979;Betz, 1994;Betz & Fitzgerald, 1987;Hackett et al, 1989;Nauta et al, 1998). Thus, future research should examine whether identification with role models who are similar in terms of gender or race are more predictive of career choice than role models who are different.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Role models have been defined as people whose lives and activities influence another person in some way (Basoc & Howe, 1979). Individuals tend to seek role models who are similar to them in some easily identifiable way, such as gender or race (Bandura, 1986;Hackett & Byars, 1996;Karunanayake & Nauta, 2004).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Individuals tend to seek role models who are similar to them in some easily identifiable way, such as gender or race (Bandura, 1986;Hackett & Byars, 1996;Karunanayake & Nauta, 2004). Role models may be especially important to women because a lack of female role models in nontraditional careers (e.g., engineering, science) has been identified as a barrier for women who choose to enter these professions (Basoc & Howe, 1979;Betz, 1994;Betz & Fitzgerald, 1987;Hackett, Esposito, & O'Halloran, 1989;Nauta et al, 1998). Indeed, researchers have shown that female students perceive role models to be especially important for women who want to pursue nontraditional careers (Gilbert, 1985;Smith & Erb, 1986).…”

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confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The Influence of Role Models on Women's Career Choices

Quimby

DeSantis

2006

118

103

This study of 368 female undergraduates examined self-efficacy and role model influence as predictors of career choice across J. L. Holland's (1997) 6 RIASEC (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional) types. Findings showed that levels of self-efficacy and role model influence differed across Holland types. Multiple regression analyses indicated that self-efficacy and role model influence accounted for significant variance in career choice for all 6 RIASEC types. Role model influence added to the prediction of career choice over and above the contribution of self-efficacy in all but 1 of the RIASEC types. The importance of attention to role models in career counseling is discussed.

The Career Development Quart

The Relationship Between Race and Students' Identified Career Role Models and Perceived Role Model Influence

Karunanayake

Nauta

2004

The authors examined whether college students' race was related to the modal race of their identified career role models, the number of identified career role models, and their perceived influence from such models. Consistent with A. Bandura's (1977Bandura's ( , 1986 social learning theory, students tended to have role models whose race was the same as their own, and this finding held among career role models who were not members of students' families. Caucasian and racial minority students did not differ respecting overall number of, and perceived influence from, career role models. Career intervention and research implications are discussed.Understanding more about the unique issues and concerns of racial/ethnic minorities is important (Bowman, 1993;Chung, Baskin, & Case, 1999). Because they may face stereotyping, discrimination, and environmental barriers, individuals who are racial/ethnic minorities may experience unique career development challenges (Herr & Cramer, 1997). For example, a scarcity of same-race role models may be a barrier to some racial minority individuals' career development (Bright, Duefield, & Stone, 1998;Chung et a!., 1999;Haas & Sullivan, 1991;Hamann & Walker, 1993) because there are disproportionately fewer racial minority professionals in many career fields and academic settings (Fouad, 1995). The assumptions behind this theoretical postulate are that role models ofone's own race serve functions that models of a different racial/ethnic background do not serve and that people consider race when selecting career role models. However, although they may be theoretically likely, these assumptions have not been tested empirically. The purpose of this study was to examine how frequently college students' career role models are ofa similar racey'ethuicity as that of the student and to determine whether there are differences in the extent of influence from career role models among college students from different racial/ethnic groups.