Career Counseling:
Foundations, Perspectives, and Applications
edited by David Capuzzi and Mark Stauffer
Chapter Two
Trait and Factor, Developmental,
Learning, and Cognitive Theories
Marie F. Shoffner
Mary M. Deacon
What is a Theory?
A theory is “an attempt to represent some
aspect of behavior, much in the same
way that a map is an attempt to represent
some geographic territory”
(Krumboltz, 1994, p. 9).
What is a Good Theory?
“A good theory is a simplified
representation of some domain
constructed so that users can ask
questions about that domain with an
increased probability of receiving
valuable answers”
(Krumboltz, 1994, p. 12).
Class assignment
 In groups of 3 – 4 students:
 Create a poster summary of the following
theories:
1. Holland’s
2. Theory of Work Adjustment
3. Super’s
4. Gottfredson
5. Krumboltz – CBT and Planned Happenstance
6. Savickas
7. Hansen
8. Peavy
9. Schlossberg
List the following on your poster:
 name of theory
 theorist
 classification
 core concepts of the theory
Trait and Factor Approaches
John Holland’s
Theory of Career Choice
Knowledge
of the
Individual
Match
Job
&
Individual
Knowledge
of the
Job
Trait and Factor Approaches
John Holland’s Theory of Personality Types
Realistic
Investigative
Artistic
Social
Enterprising
Conventional
Theory of Work Adjustment
Dawis and Lofquist's TWA
Work adjustment happens when an
individual improves or maintains his or
her fit or correspondence with the work
environment.
Theory of Work Adjustment
 Person-Environment Correspondence (PEC)
It addresses how environment and
person correspond to each other.
Theory of Work Adjustment
Reinforcement values
(needs and values)
e.g., Status, which includes the needs of
Advancement, Recognition, Authority,
and Social Status.
Theory of Work Adjustment
Satisfaction
(also includes satisfactoriness as
determined by the employer)
Personality styles
&
Adjustment behaviors
Theory of Work Adjustment
PERSONALITY STYLE
Celerity
(speed of initiating environmental interaction)
Pace
(activity level of interaction)
Rhythm
(pattern of interaction)
Endurance
(sustainability of interaction),
Theory of Work Adjustment
ADJUSTMENT BEHAVIORS
Individual levels of:
 Flexibility
 Activeness
 Reactiveness
 Perseverance
Values-based Career
Counseling
 Posits that values are the primary salient
characteristic of career decision making,
more so than individual interests.
 Individual/work congruence is a valuebased fit
Developmental Theories
Developmental theories provide a framework
for understanding the unfolding process of
career and career choice over the lifespan.
Donald Super’s Theory of
Vocational Development
Super assumed that an individual’s career
choice was not merely the result of
matching his or her abilities and interests
to the world of work, but that it was an
expression of his or her self-concept.
Primary Life Roles
Life role relates to behaviors, motives, and
sentiments more than merely position
Child
Student
Leasurite
Citizen
Worker
Homemaker
Partner
Parent
Pensioner
Life
Home
School
Work
Community
Arenas Life roles are exercised in four arenas. One role can be played
out in several theaters.
Major GROWTH
Life
EXPLORATION
Stages ESTABLISHMENT
MAINTENANCE
DISENGAGEMENT
Recycling of stages throughout life, “minicycles,” or
a cycling through stages across the lifespan
“maxicyle.”
Life
Space
The constellation of life roles played out by individuals in
life stages. Life-spaces differ between individuals because
of personal factors (e.g., interests, needs, values,) and
situational factors (e.g., family, culture, gender, societal
forces).
Life Role The importance of a role. Awareness of which life roles are
Salience more or less important.
Lifestyle
The simultaneous combination of life roles.
Life
Cycle
Sequence of life roles.
Lifespan
The course of life or “maxicycle” of stages.
Life
Structure
The “career pattern” that results from role salience and
structuring of various life roles.
Linda Gottfredson’s Theory of
Circumscription and Compromise
 Theory addresses how childhood influences
career development and career choice.
 Vocational self-concept begins early in
childhood and is defined through four
orientations to work.
Circumscription and Compromise
Size and
Power
Ages 3-5
Gender
Roles
Ages 6-8
Prestige and
Social Valuation
Ages 9-13
Unique Self
Ages 14+
Krumboltz’ Social Cognitive
Career Theory
 Social Learning Theory of Career
Decision Making (SLTCDM)
 Learning Theory of Career
Counseling (LTCC)
Krumboltz’ Social Cognitive
Career Theory
This theory recognized the importance of
cognitive processes and behavior in
career decision making, and explicitly
addressed the influence of reinforcement
and learning on the career development
and choice processes.
Social Cognitive Career Theory
Genetics
(Gender, race, physical characteristics, specific talents)
Environment
(Social, cultural, political, economic, geographic,
and climate)
Learning experiences
(Both instrumental and associative)
Task-approach skills
(Including work habits, performance abilities, and thought
processes)
Cognitive Information Processing
(CIP)
The CIP approach to decision making and to
career problem solving is designed to “help
persons make an appropriate current career
choice and, while doing so, to learn improved
problem-solving and decision-making skills
that they will need for future choices”
(Sampson, Reardon, Peterson, & Lenz, 2004, p. 2).
CASVE Cycle
Communication
Analysis
Synthesis
Valuing
Execution
Social Cognitive Career Theory
(SCCT)
Three important factors:
1.Person factors
2.Contextual factors
3.Experiential and learning factors
Social Cognitive Career Theory
(SCCT)
Learning experiences shape
self-efficacy beliefs and outcome
expectations, and are influenced by
factors such as educational
opportunity and family context.
SCCT
Self-efficacy beliefs influence choice,
actual performance, and persistence.
Self-efficacy beliefs act as moderators
between experience and career interests.
Goal aspirations, and ultimately goal
choices, are influenced by interests and
by relevant self-efficacy and outcome
expectation beliefs.
Theories of Embedded Career
Blustein’s concept of the embedded
self (Blustein, 1994) or the self in
relationship with others and the
environment, career, and career
development can be viewed as
embedded in the larger context of
social and environmental interchange
and relationship.
Theories of Embedded Career
 Contextualism
 Ecological Approach
 Sociological Theories
Psychodynamic Approaches
Psychodynamic theories of career
development focus on issues of
ego identity, life scripts, and life
themes and are often extensions
of the theories of Adler (life
themes) and Erikson (ego identity
development).
References
Blustein, D. L. (1994). Who am I?: The question of self and identify in
career development. In M. L. Savickas & R. W. Lent (Eds.), Convergence
in career development theories: Implications for science and practice (pp.
139-154). Palo Alto, CA: CPP Books.
Krumboltz, J. D. (1994). Improving career development theory from a
social learning perspective. In M. L. Savickas & R. W. Lent (Eds.),
Convergence in career development theories: Implications for science and
practice (pp. 9-31). Palo Alto, CA: CPP Books.
Sampson, J. P., Jr., Reardon, R. C., Peterson, G. W., & Lenz, J. G. (2004).
Career counseling and services: A cognitive information processing
approach. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.