Career Counseling and Krumboltz’s
Social Learning Theory
Looking at the “triadic reciprocal interaction system”
Bandura’s reinforcement theory
and observational learning
Individuals’ personalities come more from their
learning experiences than from their genetics
Learning by observation and by doing
Acknowledges the role of behavior, thoughts and images
Triadic reciprocal interaction system –
interaction of the environment, personal
factors (memories, beliefs, preferences, and selfperceptions), and actual behavior
Bandura’s reciprocal interaction:
Environmental Factors
Personal Factors
Actual Behavior
Bandura’s reciprocal interaction
Personal Factors
Self-System
Cognitive Structures & Perceptions
Behavior
Environment
Krumboltz’s Social Learning Theory
Genetic
Endowment
Environment & Learning
Events
Experiences
1. Social Factors
2. Educational
conditions
3. Occupational
Conditions
1. Insturmental
Learning (H)
2. Associative
Learning
Experiences (O)
TaskApproach
Skills
Client
Cognitive
&
Behavioral
Skills
Self-observation
Generalizations
1.
about Abilities
2.
About Values
3.
About the
World
Instrumental Learning Experiences (H) vs. Associative
Learning Experiences (O)
Three Components:
Antecedents – refers to
almost any type of
condition; people respond to
antecedents with behavior
Behaviors – may be obvious
or subtle, may have impact
on others
Consequences – may be
obvious or subtle
Example: if someone gets
an A on an exam, she will be
more likely to continue
studying in that field than if
she does poorly
When an individual pairs a
situation that was
previously neutral with one
that is positive or negative,
an associative learning
experience occurs
Krumboltz’s Social Learning Theory
Counselor Behavior Strategies
Reinforcement
Role Models
Role-Playing
Simulation
Cognitive Strategies for Counseling
Goal Clarification
Counter a Troublesome Belief
Look for Inconsistencies between Words and
Actions
Cognitive Rehearsal
Social Learning Theory Goals for Career Counseling
1. People need to expand their capabilities and
interests, and not base decisions on existing
characteristics only.
2. People need to prepare for changing work tasks,
and not assume that occupations will remain
stable.
3. People need to be empowered to take action, not
merely given a diagnosis.
Applying Planned Happenstance Theory to
Career Counseling
5 Skills helpful in dealing with chance career
opportunities.
Curiosity
Persistence
Flexibility
Optimism
Risk Taking
Applying Planned Happenstance Theory to
Career Counseling
Step 1: Normalize planned happenstance in the
client’s history
Step 2: Assist clients to transform curiosity into
opportunity for learning and exploration.
Step 3: Teach clients to produce desirable chance
events.
Step 4: Teach clients to overcome blacks to action.
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