Lent, Brown, and Hackett’s Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT)

Background SCCT is derived from Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory 3 “building blocks” of career development Self efficacy Outcome expectations Personal Goals

3 Building Blocks Self efficacy- beliefs about our abilities to succeed Primary sources of self efficacy Personal performance and accomplishments Vicarious learning Social persuasion Physiological and affective states Outcome expectations- beliefs about the outcome of performing particular behaviors Personal goals- the determination to engage in a particular activity or to effect a particular outcome

Key Constructs Interest Development Model We are attracted to activities that we feel we are competent and successful at Attitudes and Values attitudes and values are tied to self efficacy and outcome expectations Gender and Race/ethnicity Shape experiences, which influence self efficacy and outcome expectations

Key Constructs Choice Model: model for the career choice process Establishing a goal Taking action to achieve the goal Attain a level of performance that determines the direction of future career behavior Performance Model concerned with quality and persistence of behavior

Empirical Support Qualitative research on self efficacy has had some consistent, general findings: It’s predictive It has a causal relationship with other variables Gender differences are very influential

Social Cognitive Career Theory Brown, S. and Lent, R. (1996). A social cognitive framework for career choice counseling. The Career Development Quarterly, 44, 355-367 Major Tenets Some people eliminate possible occupations due to faulty self efficacy beliefs or outcome expectations The greater the perceived barriers to an occupation, the less likely individuals are to pursue those careers Modifying faulty self efficacy and outcome expectations can help individuals acquire new successful experiences and open their eyes to new career occupations

Social Cognitive Career Theory Counseling Strategies (Brown & Lent, 1996) 1. Identify Foreclosed Occupational Options Help clients construct the broadest possible array of occupational possibilities, even those they may have eliminated as possibilities, or those that are of lower interest Administer assessments (look for interest and aptitude match) 2. Analyze Barrier Perceptions Examine barriers, the likelihood the barriers will be encountered, and develop a plan to overcome the barriers

Social Cognitive Career Theory 3. Modify self efficacy beliefs Help clients develop new performance experiences to enhance self efficacy related to occupations Reanalyze past experiences and examine the development of faulty self efficacy and/or outcome expectations