The Cognitive Processes Associated with Occupational/Career Indecision

Abstract

This study developed and tested a new model of the cognitive processes associated with occupational/career indecision for gifted adolescents. A survey instrument with rigorous psychometric properties, developed from a number of existing instruments, was administered to a sample of 687 adolescents attending three academically selective high schools in Sydney, Australia. The collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and related procedures. The findings suggested that three cognitive process pathways may be associated with occupational indecision for gifted adolescents, all of which incorporated amotivation with the occupational decision. Within these pathways, both idiocentric orientations toward the future and social influences from the family were identified as negative predictors of occupational amotivation, while perfectionism (which was itself negatively predicted by multipotentiality) appeared to be a positive predictor of occupational amotivation. Educators, psychologists, and counselors may be able to use the findings to reassess their career guidance to gifted adolescents.

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 occupational amotivation were adapted from scales used by Guay, Vallerand, and Blanchard () and Noels, Clement, and Pelletier (). Previous versions of the scale have been shown to be valid and reliable (α = .74 in Jung & McCormick, ; α = .82 in Jung & McCormick, ; α = .84 in Jung, ) across multiple phases of data collection.…”

“…Hartman and Hartman () was the original source of the six items that were adapted to assess occupational indecision. Previous versions of the scale have been demonstrated to have acceptable levels of validity and reliability (α = .79 in Jung & McCormick, ; α = .87 in Jung, ).…”

“…The six items that were designed to assess multipotentiality originated from a number of scales (Delisle, ; Emmett & Minor, ; Rothney, ). Jung () demonstrated that the most recent version of the scale was reliable (α = .78) and valid.…”

Kariérové cesty intelektovo nadaných ľudí

“…Obrázok 1 Model kognitívnych procesov nadaných adolescentov pri voľbe povolania (prevzaté z Jung, 2017, s. 69) V posledných rokoch publikoval zaujímavé výskumné práce Jung (2013Jung ( , 2014Jung ( , 2017, ktorý sa opakovane pokúšal vypracovať čo najvýstižnejší model kognitívnych procesov nadaných adolescentov pri rozhodovaní o kariérovom smerovaní. Najpodrobnejší model vytvoril v práci z roku 2017.…”

Career Decisions of Gifted Students in Turkey

“…These environmental influences also play role on career decision-making (Stewart, 1999). Jung (2013) focused the importance of culture in terms of gifted adolescent cognitive development and career decision making processes and provided a comprehensive literature. Expectations from the future and family influences have positive impact on gifted children's cultural orientations and their career goals (Jung, 2013).…”