CAREER DECISION-MAKING AND CAREER SEARCH ACTIVITIES - RELATIVE EFFECTS OF CAREER SEARCH SELF-EFFICACY AND HUMAN AGENCY

The nature of the relationship between 3 human agency indices (asserti veness, instrumentality, and interpersonal facility), career search se lf-efficacy, and 3 career indices (vocational identity, career decisio n needs, and career activities performed) is examined. Data from 426 c ollege men and women were analyzed using hierarchical regression to as sess whether career search self-efficacy was able to mediate the relat ionship between human agency and each career index. For all 3 career i ndices, the mediator hypothesis was supported. No support was found fo r human agency mediating the relationship between career search self-e fficacy and the career indices, nor for human agency moderating the re lationship between career search self-efficacy and career indices. Imp lications for conducting counseling intervention programs focusing on development of career search self-efficacy expectations are discussed.