Careerography: Application of Psychobiography to Career Development

Abstract

The present article introduces the topic and research area of careerography, an adaptation of psychobiography to the field of career psychology. A brief historical overview of psychobiography is provided, and the reciprocal value of linking psychobiographical research methods to theory development in career psychology is emphasized. Best practices in psychobiography are highlighted, and a six-step sequential guide to conducting careerography is presented inclusive of (1) selecting one’s historical subject, (2) ethical considerations and bracketing bias, (3) identifying initial research questions, (4) choosing anchoring career theories, (5) engaging the iterative research process, and (6) writing the careerography report.

Careerography in Career Counseling Practice, Research, and Training

“…While psychobiographical research draws heavily from qualitative research methods, students may have the opportunity to learn about and work from various methodologies while performing psychobiographical and careerographical research, including qualitative and historiographic (Elms, 2005; Kőváry, 2018), quantitative (Simonton, 1998), and mixed-methods designs (Ponterotto, 2019; Ponterotto & Reynolds, 2013). Equally important to the selection of the research paradigm and methodology is the career/vocational theories applied to a careerography subject (Bigony, Alpers, & Ponterotto, in press; Ponterotto & Park-Taylor, in press).…”

A Careerography of John F. Kennedy Jr.

“…Recently, Ponterotto and Park-Taylor (this issue) introduced a subspecialty of psychobiography termed careerography. While borrowing the research methods of established psychobiographers, careerography focuses on understanding the lives of significant figures in history through the lens of career development theories.…”