The development of vocational schemas

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Abstract

Previous research has conceptualized vocational development as a sequence of structural changes in the cognitive schemas used to interpret and anticipate vocational events. To test this conceptualization, three studies were designed to determine whether organizational features of vocational schemas varied with other, already established, developmental sequences. Results of Study 1 indicated that higher levels of vocational structure were related to higher levels of general identity development in a manner consistent with the model's developmental assumptions. Studies 2A and 2B extended these findings in the context of larger samples using independent measures of identity development. Together with findings relating higher structural development to higher levels of career decision-making self-efficacy and career decidedness, these results were interpreted as providing qualified support for the assumption that vocational schemas undergo organizational development.

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