Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This study examines the extent to which a sense of calling affects career choice attitudes. Drawing from social cognitive career theory, the study tested the extent to which calling is related to career outcome expectations, interests, and goals. Participants were asked to identify a job that they wanted to perform and completed a questionnaire assessing their attitudes toward the career. We conducted structural equation modeling analyses to test our hypotheses. The results suggest that calling provides unique predictive power beyond self-efficacy for career outcome expectations, interests, and goals. Calling was a stronger predictor than self-efficacy of outcome expectations and interests, but a weaker predictor than self-efficacy of goals. Calling moderated self-efficacy such that self-efficacy was less predictive of outcome expectations when calling was high. The study improves our understanding of career choice attitudes and provides an improved framework for practitioners to draw on when mentoring students or developing career support programs for science, technology, engineering, or math education.

Keywords

calling career choice self-efficacy STEM careers attitudes

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Ajzen

(1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211. doi:10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T

Ambrose

M. L.

Schminke

(2003). Organization structure as a moderator of the relationship between procedural justice, interactional justice, perceived organizational support, and supervisory trust. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 295–305. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.88.2.295

Bandalos

D. L.

Finney

S. J.

(2001). Item parceling issues in structural equation modeling. In Marcoulides

G. A.

Schumacker

R. E.

(Eds.), New developments and techniques in structural equation modeling (pp. 269–296). Mahwah, NJ: Academic Press.

Bandura

(1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Bandura

(2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 1–26. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.1

Bandura

Barbaranelli

Caprara

G. V.

Pastorelli

(2001). Self-efficacy beliefs as shapers of children’s aspirations and career trajectories. Child Development, 72, 187–206. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00273

Bandura

Locke

E. A.

(2003). Negative self-efficacy and goal effects revisited. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 87–99. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.88.1.87

Barger

Sinar

E. F.

(2011). Psychological data from Amazon.com’s MTurk: Rapid and inexpensive—But high-quality? Poster presented at the 26th Annual Conference for the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Chicago, IL.

Behrend

T. S.

Sharek

D. J.

Meade

A. W.

Wiebe

E. N.

(2011). The viability of crowdsourcing for survey research. Behavior Research Methods, 43, 800–813. doi:10.3758/s13428-011-0081-0

10.

Bellah

Madsen

Sullivan

Swidler

Tipto

. (1985). Habits of the heart: Individualism and commitment in American life (Vol. 1985). Berkley & Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press. doi:10.3817/0685064180

11.

Berg

J. M.

Grant

A. M.

Johnson

(2010). When callings are calling: Crafting work and leisure in pursuit of unanswered occupational callings. Organization Science, 21, 973–994. doi:10.1287/orsc.1090.0497

12.

Betz

N. E.

(2006). Career self-efficacy theory: Back to the future. Journal of Career Assessment, 14, 3–11. doi:10.1177/1069072705281347

13.

Betz

N. E.

Klein

K. L.

(1996). Relationships among measures of career self-efficacy, generalized self-efficacy, and global self-esteem. Journal of Career Assessment, 4, 285–298. doi:10.1177/106907279600400304

14.

Bishop

R. M.

Bieschke

K. J.

(1998). Applying social cognitive theory to interest in research among counseling psychology doctoral students: A path analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 45, 182–188. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.45.2.182

15.

Blanco

Á.

(2011). Applying social cognitive career theory to predict interests and choice goals in statistics among Spanish psychology students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 78, 49–58. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2010.07.003

16.

Buhrmester

M. D.

Kwang

Gosling

S. D.

(2011). Amazon’s mechanical turk: A new source of inexpensive, yet high-quality, data? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6, 3–5. doi:10.1177/1745691610393980

17.

Bunderson

J. S.

Thompson

J. A.

(2009). The call of the wild: Zookeepers, callings, and the double-edged sword of deeply meaningful work. Administrative Science Quarterly, 54, 32–57.

18.

Byars-Winston

A. M.

(2006). Racial ideology in predicting social cognitive career variables for Black undergraduates. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 69, 134–148. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2006.02.005

19.

Cardador

M. T.

Caza

B. B.

(2012). Relational and identity perspectives on healthy versus unhealthy pursuit of callings. Journal of Career Assessment, 20, 338–353. doi:10.1177/1069072711436162

20.

Coffman

D. L.

MacCallum

R. C

. (2005). Using parcels to convert path analysis models into latent variable models. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 40, 235–259. doi:10.1207/s15327906mbr4002_4

21.

Conklin

A. M.

Dahling

J. J.

Garcia

P. A.

(2012). Linking affective commitment, career self-efficacy, and outcome expectations: A test of social cognitive career theory. Journal of Career Development, 40, 68–83. doi:10.1177/0894845311423534

22.

Deci

E. L.

Eghrari

Patrick

B. C.

Leone

D. R.

(1994). Facilitating internalization: The self-determination theory perspective. Journal of Personality, 62, 119–142. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1994.tb00797.x

23.

DeShon

R. P.

Gillespie

J. Z.

(2005). A motivated action theory account of goal orientation. The Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 1096–127. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.90.6.1096

24.

Diekman

A. B.

Clark

E. K.

Johnston

A. M.

Brown

E. R.

Steinberg

(2011). Malleability in communal goals and beliefs influences attraction to stem careers: Evidence for a goal congruity perspective. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101, 902–918. doi:10.1037/a0025199

25.

Dik

B. J.

Duffy

R. D.

Eldridge

B. M.

(2009). Calling and vocation in career counseling: Recommendations for promoting meaningful work. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40, 625–632. doi:10.1037/a0015547

26.

Dik

B. J.

Steger

M. F.

(2008). Randomized trial of a calling-infused career workshop incorporating counselor self-disclosure. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 73, 203–211. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2008.04.001

27.

Dobrow

S. R.

(2007). The development of calling: A longitudinal study of musicians. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2007, 1–6. doi:10.5465/AMBPP.2007.26530582

28.

Dobrow

S. R.

Tosti-Kharas

(2011). Calling: The development of a scale measure. Personnel Psychology, 64, 1001–1049. doi:10.1111/j.1744-6570.2011.01234.x

29.

Dobrow

S. R.

Tosti-Kharas

(2012). Listen to your heart? Calling and receptivity to career advice. Journal of Career Assessment, 20, 264–280. doi:10.1177/1069072711434412

30.

Domene

J. F.

(2012). Calling and career outcome expectations: The mediating role of self-efficacy. Journal of Career Assessment, 20, 281–292. doi:10.1177/1069072711434413

31.

Duffy

R. D.

Dik

B. J.

(2012). Research on work as a calling: Introduction to the special issue. Journal of Career Assessment, 20, 239–241. doi:10.1177/1069072711434409

32.

Elangovan

A. R.

Pinder

C. C.

McLean

(2010). Callings and organizational behavior. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 76, 428–440. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2009.10.009

33.

Fouad

N. A.

Smith

P. L.

(1996). A test of a social cognitive model for middle school students: Math and science. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 43, 338–346. doi:10.1037//0022-0167.43.3.338

34.

Hirschi

(2011). Callings in career: A typological approach to essential and optional components. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79, 60–73. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2010.11.002

35.

Huang

J. L.

Curran

P. G.

Keeney

Poposki

E. M.

DeShon

R. P.

(2011). Detecting and deterring insufficient effort responding to surveys. Journal of Business and Psychology, 27, 99–114. doi:10.1007/s10869-011-9231-8

36.

Jacobs

J. E.

Davis-Kean

Bleeker

Eccles

J. S.

Malanchuk

. (2005). “I can, but i don’t want to”: The impact of parents, interests, and activities on gender differences in math. In Gallagher

A. M.

Kaufman

J. C.

(Eds.), Gender differences in mathematics: An integrative psychological approach (pp. 246–263). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

37.

Judge

T. A.

Kammeyer-Mueller

J. D.

(2012). Job attitudes. Annual Review of Psychology, 63, 341–67. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-120710-100511

38.

Karim

M. N.

Behrend

T. S.

(2013). Reexamining the nature of learner control: Dimensionality and effects on learning and training reactions. Journal of Business and Psychology, 29, 87–99. doi:10.1007/s10869-013-9309-6

39.

Lent

R. W.

Brown

S. D.

(2006). Integrating person and situation perspectives on work satisfaction: A social-cognitive view. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 69, 236–247. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2006.02.006

40.

Lent

R. W.

Brown

S. D.

Hackett

(1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45, 79–122. doi:10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027

41.

Lent

R. W.

Brown

S. D.

Nota

Soresi

(2003). Testing social cognitive interest and choice hypotheses across Holland types in Italian high school students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 62, 101–118. doi:10.1016/S0001-8791(02)00057-X

42.

Lent

R. W.

Lopez

A. M.

Lopez

F. G.

Sheu

H.-B.

(2008). Social cognitive career theory and the prediction of interests and choice goals in the computing disciplines. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 73, 52–62. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2008.01.002

43.

Lent

R. W.

Lopez

F. G.

Sheu

H.-B.

Lopez

A. M.

(2011). Social cognitive predictors of the interests and choices of computing majors: Applicability to underrepresented students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 78, 184–192. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2010.10.006

44.

Lent

R. W.

Paixão

M. P.

da Silva

J. T.

Leitão

L. M.

(2010). Predicting occupational interests and choice aspirations in Portuguese high school students: A test of social cognitive career theory. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 76, 244–251. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2009.10.001

45.

Lynch

S. J.

Kaminsky

S. E.

Behrend

T. S.

Spillane

Burton

E. P.

(2014). Learning about careers in Inclusive STEM-focused High Schools. In Behrend

T. S.

Major

D. A.

(Eds.), I-O psychology’s contributions to patching the STEM career pipeline. Symposium presented at the 29th annual meeting of the Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychology, Honolulu, HI.

46.

Means

B. M.

Confrey

House

Bhanot

(2008). STEM high schools specialized science technology engineering and mathematics secondary schools in the U.S. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.

47.

Muthén

L. K.

Muthén

B. O.

(2012). MPlus user’s guide. Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén.

48.

Obama

. (2010). Remarks by the president at the announcement of the “Change the Equation” initiative. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/09/16/remarks-president-announcement-change-equation-initiative

49.

Obama

. (2013). Remarks by the president in the state of the Union address. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/remarks-president-state-union-address

50.

PCAST (President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology). (2010). Prepare and Inspire: K-12 Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) For America’s Future. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-stem-ed-final.pdf

51.

Restubog

S. L. D.

Florentino

A. R.

Garcia

P. R. J. M.

(2010). The mediating roles of career self-efficacy and career decidedness in the relationship between contextual support and persistence. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 77, 186–195. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2010.06.005

52.

Rogers

M. E.

Creed

P. A.

Ian Glendon

(2008). The role of personality in adolescent career planning and exploration: A social cognitive perspective. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 73, 132–142. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2008.02.002

53.

Rottinghaus

P. J.

Larson

L. M.

Borgen

F. H.

(2003). The relation of self-efficacy and interests: A meta-analysis of 60 samples. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 62, 221–236. doi:10.1016/S0001-8791(02)00039-8

54.

Sadler

P. M.

Sonnert

Hazari

Tai

(2012). Stability and volatility of STEM career interest in high school: A gender study. Science Education, 96, 411–427. doi:10.1002/sce.21007

55.

Singh

Fouad

N. A.

Fitzpatrick

M. E.

Liu

J. P.

Cappaert

K. J.

Figuereido

(2013). Stemming the tide: Predicting women engineers’ intentions to leave. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 83, 281–294. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2013.05.007

56.

Steger

M. F.

Dik

B. J.

Duffy

R. D.

(2012). Measuring meaningful work: The Work and Meaning Inventory (WAMI). Journal of Career Assessment, 20, 322–337. doi:10.1177/1069072711436160

57.

Treadgold

(1999). Transcendent vocations: Their relationship to stress, depression, and clarity of self-concept. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 39, 81–105. doi:10.1177/0022167899391010

58.

Varela

O. E.

Landis

R. S.

(2010). A general structure of job performance: Evidence from two studies. Journal of Business and Psychology, 25, 625–638. doi:10.1007/s10869-010-9155-8

59.

Weissbein

D. A.

Huang

J. L.

Ford

J. K.

Schmidt

A. M.

(2010). Influencing learning states to enhance trainee motivation and improve training transfer. Journal of Business and Psychology, 26, 423–435. doi:10.1007/s10869-010-9198-x

60.

Woitowicz

A. L.

Domene

J. F.

(2011). The relationship between calling and career outcome expectations: Implications for career development. Toronto, ON.

61.

Wrzesniewski

McCauley

Rozin

Schwartz

(1997). Jobs, careers, and callings: People’s relations to their work. Journal of Research in Personality, 31, 21–33. doi:10.1006/jrpe.1997.2162

62.

Zikic

Saks

A. M.

(2009). Job search and social cognitive theory: The role of career-relevant activities. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74, 117–127. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2008.11.001

Career Choice and Calling

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References