W. Bruce Walsh

Career decision making

Contents: S.D. Phillips, N.J. Pazienza, History and Theory of the Assessment of Career Development and Decision Making. R.B. Slaney, The Assessment of Career Decision Making. N.E. Betz, The Assessment of Career Development and Maturity. K.M. Taylor, Advances in Career-Planning Systems. H.E.A. Tinsley, D.J. Tinsley, An Expanded Context for the Study of Career Decision Making, Development, and Maturity.

College Student Retention: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Purpose in Life Among College Students

We investigated the association between Frankl’s (1985, 1988) construct of purpose in life with Bandura’s (1977, 1997) theory of self-efficacy as a possible predictor of students who may be at risk for leaving school. For this study, 344 undergraduate college students (233 females, 111 males; 76% White/Caucasian, 10% Asian American/Asian, 7% African American/African, 5% multiracial/multicultural or other, 2% non-White/Hispanic; 79% freshmen, 13% sophomores, 4% juniors, 3% seniors, 1% unspecified grade/year level) completed the Purpose in Life Test, Part A (Crumbaugh & Maholick, 1964); the College Self-Efficacy Inventory (Solberg, O’Brien, Villarreal, Kennel, & Davis, 1993); the Scale of Perceived Social Self-Efficacy (Smith & Betz, 2000); the General Self-Efficacy Subscale of the Self-Efficacy Scale (Sherer et al., 1982); and finally, the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (Crowne & Marlow, 1960). All of the variables of self-efficacy were significantly (p < .01) and positively correlated with purpose in life. Regression analysis revealed that general self-efficacy was the most significant predictor of Purpose in Life scores. The current study lends support to the idea of creating interventions based on self-efficacy theory in order to positively influence students’ subjective sense of purpose in life for the purpose of improving college student retention.

Self-Efficacy and College Student Satisfaction.

Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy has been used extensively for the study of behavior in a variety of settings. Researchers in the areas of vocational and academic behavior have focused primarily on performance and persistence as well as choices and interests. Less has been done looking at the relationships between self-efficacy beliefs and certain affective variables. The present study focused on the relationship between self-efficacy (i.e., college, social, and general) and college student satisfaction. A sample of 312 undergraduates was administered measures of self-efficacy and college satisfaction. All three measures of self-efficacy were significantly associated with college satisfaction. Regression analysis and analyses of variance revealed that college self-efficacy was significantly associated with college satisfaction, whereas the other two measures of self-efficacy (i.e., social and general) did not account for any unique, additional variance. Results are presented and discussed.

Consistent, inconsistent and undecided career preferences and personality

Abstract This study explored the differences on personality variables between freshmen students who made congruent, incongruent and undecided college major choices. The personality variables were operationally defined by the Omnibus Personality Inventory. Congruent, incongruent and undecided college major choice groups were defined operationally using the Vocational Preference Inventory. The analysis of variance revealed the main effect of groups (congruent, incongruent and undecided) to be significant for four personality variables. The test for the main effect of sex was found to be significant for four personality variables. The test for interaction was found to be significant for three personality variables. Findings suggest that subjects in the congruent male group tend to have more stable college major choices, better maintenance of personal stability and greater satisfaction than subjects in the undecided and incongruent male groups.

Concurrent validity of Holland's theory for non-college-degreed black women☆

Abstract This study, using the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI) and the Self-Directed Search (SDS), explored the concurrent validity of Hollands theory for employed non-college-degreed black women. The VPI and the SDS were administered to 102 black women workers in occupational environments consistent with Hollands six vocational environments. The results revealed that four scales of the VPI and four scales of the SDS successfully differentiated the occupational groups consistent with Hollands theoretical notions. In general, the findings lend some support to the concurrent validity of Hollands theory for employed non-college-degreed black women.

Concurrent validity of Holland's theory for college degreed working women

Abstract The study was designed to explore two areas: (1) the concurrent validity of Hollands theory for employed college degreed women using two different operational definitions (Vocational Preference Inventory and the Self-Directed Search) of vocational orientation; and (2) the relationships among same named scales across the VPI and the SDS. Concurrent validity was studied by administering the VPI and the SDS to 179 women workers in occupational environments consistent with Hollands six vocational environments. In general, the findings indicate that the VPI and SDS scales tend to effectively discriminate among the occupational groups consistent with Hollands theoretical framework. In addition, the correlation coefficients for same named scales for the two inventories were all found to be significant. In sum, the results of the study lend some support to the concurrent validity of Hollands theory for employed college degreed women.

Concurrent Validity and Holland's Theory.

Abstract This study was designed to explore two areas: (1) the concurrent validity of Hollands theory for employed men using four different operational definitions of vocational orientation, and (2) the relationships among all possible combinations of same named scales across the four inventories. Concurrent validity was studied by administering the Vocational Preference Inventory, the Self Directed Search, and the Holland Scales (Set I and Set II) to 153 male workers established in occupational environments consistent with Hollands six vocational environments. The results revealed that five scales of the VPI and of the Holland Scales (Set I and Set II) and four scales of the SDS successfully differentiated the occupational groups consistent with Hollands theoretical framework. The correlation coefficients for same named scales for all possible combinations of the four inventories were all found to be significant. In general, the findings of this study tend to support the concurrent validity of Hollands theory for employed men.

Reliability and Concurrent Validity of the Sternberg Triangular Love Scale

This study was conducted to assess the reliability and concurrent validity of the Sternberg Triangular Love Scale. From introductory courses in psychology 90 students who were currently involved in dating relationships completed the scale and a group of other measures in reference to their dating partners. The scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency and 2-wk. test-retest reliability, but high subscale interrelatedness. Results supported hypotheses designed to assess the concurrent validity of the Sternberg subscales. Possible explanations for the high interrelatedness between the subscales are discussed.

Holland's theory and non-college-degreed working men and women

Abstract The main concern of this study was to investigate differences between men and women employed in traditional male occupations using the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI) and the Self-Directed Search (SDS). The VPI and the SDS were administered to 103 male and female non-college-degreed workers in three occupations (bus-taxi drivers, police officers, and car sales agents) corresponding to three of Hollands environmental categories (Realistic, Social, and Enterprising). In general, the results indicate that the VPI and SDS scales to some extent discriminate among occupational groups, but expected patterns do not always occur within and between occupational groups.

Occupational level and Holland's theory for employed men and women

Abstract The main concern of this study was to investigate occupational level differences among men and women employed in Enterprising environments using the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI) and the Self-Directed Search (SDS). The VPI and SDS were administered to 84 male and female workers at high (insurance managers) and low (route salespersons) occupational levels. All workers were employed in Enterprising environments. The findings showed that high occupational level workers tend to be more differentiated and more masculine than low occupational level workers. In addition, the results revealed that the employed men and women tend to respond differently to the VIP and the SDS. Finally, the evidence indicated that all of the occupational groups obtained mean scores on the Enterprising scale of the two inventories that were consistent with Hollands theoretical predictions.