Assessing the Value of Social-Cognitive Constructs in Career Development

This study assessed the relative value of Bandura's (1977, 1982, 1986) self-efficacy theory and Rotter's (1966) locus of control model in predicting the career maturity of college students. A sample of 113 undergraduates (83 women and 30 men) completed a demographics questionnaire and measures of career decision-making (CDM) self-efficacy (Taylor & Betz, 1983), career locus of control (Trice, Haire, & Elliott, 1989), CDM attitudes (Crites, 1978a), and CDM skills (Super, Thompson, Lindeman, Jordaan, & Myers, 1981). Results reveal that self-efficacy theory is superior to the locus of control model in predicting the CDM attitudes of college students. Results also showed that the most powerful predictor of CDM skills among college students was their CDM attitudes. Locus of control accounted for additional variance in the CDM attitudes of the participants. Age did not enter either of the regression equations despite its significant correlation with CDM attitudes and CDM skills. (Contains 43 references and 3 data tables.) (Author/YLB) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. * ***********************************************************************