The Psychology of Working Theory.

Abstract

In the current article, we build on research from vocational psychology, multicultural psychology, intersectionality, and the sociology of work to construct an empirically testable Psychology of Working Theory (PWT). Our central aim is to explain the work experiences of all individuals, but particularly people near or in poverty, people who face discrimination and marginalization in their lives, and people facing challenging work-based transitions for which contextual factors are often the primary drivers of the ability to secure decent work. The concept of decent work is defined and positioned as the central variable within the theory. A series of propositions is offered concerning (a) contextual predictors of securing decent work, (b) psychological and economic mediators and moderators of these relations, and (c) outcomes of securing decent work. Recommendations are suggested for researchers seeking to use the theory and practical implications are offered concerning counseling, advocacy, and public policy.

Ensuring Quality in Theory, Research, and Practice: The Career Development Quarterly

“…In the Unites States, for example, we know through research that the vast majority of college students and working adults feel limits in their ability to choose desired career paths (Duffy et al, 2016). As such, the majority of a career counselor's clients likely do not have the privilege of simply selecting desired careers and pursuing them.…”

“…What exactly does integrating theory, research, and practice look like for this population? Certainly, the work of David Blustein (Blustein, 2006;Blustein, 2008;Blustein et al, 2008;Duffy et al, 2016) has helped push this conversation forward by developing a new theoretical framework and by challenging vocational psychologists to move beyond the study of the privileged class. However, the critical missing piece to this equation is practice integration.…”

“…As the field continues to move forward in maintaining this integration, I believe our greatest opportunity exists in applying this integration to populations who have often been neglected from traditional vocational research. This primarily includes children, adolescents, and adults who do not have much choice in their careers paths, often the result of high levels of economic constraints and/or marginalization experiences (Duffy, Blustein, Diemer, & Autin, 2016). I see targeting this population as our greatest opportunity because I believe the vast majority of individuals around the world do not have much choice in their career paths and are often pushed to work in unsatisfying, uninteresting, and often dangerous jobs to meet survival needs.…”

Integrating Theory, Research, and Practice: Lessons Learned from the Evolution of Vocational Psychology

“…One promising way of thinking outside of the box is to develop truly interdisciplinary theories that embrace economic factors and sociological influences. As an exemplar, I believe that the new psychology of working theory (PWT), developed by Duffy, Blustein, Diemer, and Autin (2016), offers an excellent opportunity to shape theory, research, and practice for the new era of precarious work. This theory is designed to embrace the world that we live in now-a world where work is not stable and where access to work is profoundly shaped by macrolevel forces in conjunction with individual psychological attributes.…”

“…The PWT (Duffy et al, 2016), unlike most contemporary career development theories, encompasses sociological and economic factors into an interdisciplinary perspective that seeks to explain the work behaviors of all of those who work and who want to work. With the intention of predicting work fulfillment and wellbeing, Duffy and his colleagues (2016) constructed a model that includes contextual factors such as economic constraints, marginalization, and economic conditions as factors that frame how people navigate work-based transitions, such as the movement from high school to postsecondary education and training.…”