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Investigating Psycho-sociological Factors In Predicting Career Decision Among Some Selected Secondary Schools
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Another variable of interest in this study is personality. Personality
is seen as someone’s character, especially the way one behaves towards
other people. According to Della (2003) personality is the quality that
makes someone interesting, friendly and enjoyable to be with. In career
decision therefore, personality is an aspect that determines chosen
career of any students. Holland (1959) in Siriwan (2011) personality
types and work environment highlight the characteristics of job relation
to individuals’ personalities and interests. Personality therefore is
believed to occupy noticeable space in the career decision and its
outcome in students. Deliberating on the issue of personality, Brown
(2002) believes that in choosing career, students’ personality
predetermined what the decision will fulfill, hence, it is a
considerable fact that personality of individual results in choosing
careers.
Self-efficacy is another variable of interest in the study.
It can be seen as a self-evaluation of one’s competence in successful
execution of a course of action necessary to reach desired outcomes.
Eimmerman (2000) sees self-efficacy as a multidimensional construct that
varies according to the domain of demands and therefore, it must be
evaluated at a level that is specific to the outcome domain. The concept
of self-efficacy was introduced by Albert Bandura in 1977 when he uses
social learning theory to investigate personality development. Bandura
(1977) in Siriwan (2011) posits that personality develops through
learning experiences and human cognitive process. These factors include
individual factors which refer to behavior; environmental factors which
refers to the external aspect associated with an individual’s learning;
and psychological factors which refers to cognitive process associated
with how individual learn from the consequences of the interaction
between individual and environmental factors, such as their perception
of learning experiences and their approach to problem solving. Hence,
the concept of self-efficacy is been regarded as a key personality
factors influencing career decision. Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara, and
Pastorelli, (2001) found that children tended to base their career
choices on their perceived occupational self-efficacy rather than on
their academic performance. It is also obvious that socio-economic
environment appeared to have an indirect impact on students because it
influences parents’ self-efficacy and their educational aspiration for
their wards.
Examining the reason behind students’ decision in
choosing a particular course of study, Maringe (2006) finds that
students choose a career based on their interest, employment
opportunities and career prospect after graduation. However, many
students choose a career not because they find delight in the job
afterward but because they see it as a fast rising opportunity for quick
employment after graduation. Hence, their main objective is towards
gainful employment after graduation. There are various factors
associated with students’ career decision this includes the relationship
between gender and students’ decisions to pursue a career in
entrepreneurship due to increased prospect in employment. However,
Schwars, Wdowiak, Almer-Jarz, and Breitenecker (2009) suggest that male
students express deep interest in having their own business than female
students. The opportunity to undertake is another factor affecting
students’ career decision. It has been argued that work experience
provides students with opportunities to explore different jobs and learn
about their future career (Siriwan, 2011). Feldman and Whitecomb (2005)
opine that students with limited work experience tend to lack the
stability to generate career options or make career decision based on
career interest rather than abilities associated with their career.
Hence, students with work experience; all which are considered to be
psychological factors might not be able to adequately close a career
that will facilitate economic growth of the nation.
The extent to
which sociological factors predict career decision of students cannot be
underestimated. Annualizing the sociological factor that determines
career decision include the parental influence or background and school
environment of students. It is important to note that both parental
influence and background and school environments enormously conjoined
with psychological variables to determine the career option of students.
This means that not single variable influence career decision of
students.
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