Career self-efficacy: An application of the theory of planned behaviour

Given the inequitable distribution of men and women in the workplace, this study employed the theory of planned behaviour to investigate whether men a re generally less willing to pursue sex-atypical careers than women and, if so, to determine what factors help to explain their reluctance. To this en d, an Ajzen & Fishbein (1980) type questionnaire was administered to 212 fi fth-form students, randomly selected from secondary schools in Ireland. Str ong evidence was provided to suggest that males are much less willing than females to adopt egalitarian roles. Moreover, the present findings clearly demonstrated the importance of self-efficacy theory in the career decision- making process.