SOCIAL COGNITIVE APPROACH TO CAREER-DEVELOPMENT - AN OVERVIEW

This article provides an overview of a social cognitive framework for understanding career interest, choice, and performance processes. Deri ved primarily from Bandura's (1986) general social cognitive theory, t he framework features several variables (self-efficacy, outcome expect ations, personal goals) through which people help to guide their own c areer development. It also includes a discussion of how these variable s interrelate with other aspects of persons (e.g., gender) and their e nvironments (e.g., supports, barriers) within the process of career de velopment. The framework is intended as a base both for unifying exist ing career theories and for conceptualizing developmental and remedial career interventions.