The relationship of career-related self-efficacy expectations to perceived career options in college women and men.

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the applicability of Bandura's self-efficacy theory to the process of career decision making and, in particular, to investigate the possible importance of self-efficacy expectations in the explanation of women's continued underrepresentation in many professional and managerial occupations. Subjects, 134 female and 101 male undergraduates, were asked to indicate their perceptions of their capabilities to successfully complete the educational requirements and job duties of each of 10 traditionally female and 10 traditionally male occupations. In addition, subjects indicated their degree of interest in and extent of consideration of each occupation. Finally, American College Test Math and English subtest scores were obtained. Results indicated significant and consistent sex differences in selfefficacy with regard to traditional versus nontraditional (for females) occupations: Males reported equivalent self-efficacy with regard to the two classes of occupations, females reported significantly higher levels of self-efficacy with regard to traditional occupations and significantly lower levels of self-efficacy with regard to nontraditiona l occupations. Further, self-efficacy expectations were related to both the type and number of occupations considered and to expressed interest in traditional and nontraditional occupations. Implications for further investigation of the utility of self-efficacy theory to the understanding of vocational behavior and for the applications of the model to career counseling are discussed.

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