Occupational aspirations & expectations
Relation to social mobility
According to accepted models of occupational development, occupational and academic aspirations and expectations during adolescence are translated into academic achievements. They also constitute a critical variable later in accessing opportunities in the labor market. Indeed, longitudinal and data studies demonstrate how occupational aspirations and expectations predict occupational achievements in adulthood, and how they mediate the effect that a weak socioeconomic background has on academic achievement.Importance
Critical
mid-elementary school years to early junior high
Important
junior high to the end of high school
Sources
Sewell, W. H., Haller, A. O., & Potres, A. (1969) The Educational and Early Occupational Attainment Process. American Sociological Review. 34,82-92
Schoon, I., & Parsons, S. (2002). Teenage aspirations for future careers and occupational outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 60(2), 262-288
Schoon, I. (2001). Teenage job aspirations and career attainment in adulthood: A 17-year follow-up study of teenagers who aspired to become scientists, health professionals, or engineers. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 25(2), 124-132
Marjoribanks, K. (2005). Family Background, Academic Achievement, and Educational Aspirations as Predictors of Australian Young Adults’ Educational Attainment. Psychological Reports, 96(3), 751–754. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.96.3.751-754
Beal, S. J., & Crockett, L. J. (2010). Adolescents’ occupational and educational aspirations and expectations: Links to high school activities and adult educational attainment. Developmental Psychology, 46(1), 258-265. doi:10.1037/a001741
Mello, Z. R. (2009). Racial/ethnic group and socioeconomic status variation in educational and occupational expectations from adolescence to adulthood. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30(4), 494-504
Brott. E. (1993). Gottfredson’s Theory of Circumscription and Compromise: implications for Career Counseling
Armstrong, P. I., & Crombie, G. (2000). Compromises in Adolescents’ Occupational Aspirations and Expectations from Grades 8 to 10. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 56(1), 82–98
Roberts, K. (2009). Opportunity structures then and now. Journal of education and work, 22(5), 355-368
Leung, S. A., & Plake, B. S. (1990). A choice dilemma approach for examining the relative importance of sex type and prestige preferences in the process of career choice compromise. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 37(4), 399-406. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.37.4.399
Gottfredson, L. S. (1981). Circumscription and compromise: A developmental theory of occupational aspirations. Journal of Counseling psychology, 28(6), 545
Powers, L. E., Geenen, S., Powers, J., Pommier-Satya, S., Turner, A., Dalton, L. D., … & Swank, P. (2012). My Life: Effects of a longitudinal, randomized study of self-determination enhancement on the transition outcomes of youth in foster care and special education. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(11), 2179-2187.
Nota, L., Santilli, S., & Soresi, S. (2016). A life‐design‐based online career intervention for early adolescents: Description and initial analysis. The Career Development Quarterly, 64(1), 4-19.
Ross, P. H., Glewwe, P., Prudencio, D., & Wydick, B. (2019). Developing Educational and Vocational Aspirations through International Child Sponsorship: Evidence from Kenya, Indonesia, and Mexico (No. 1698-2020-246).
Beaman, L., Duflo, E., Pande, R., & Topalova, P. (2012). Female leadership raises aspirations and educational attainment for girls: A policy experiment in India. science, 335(6068), 582-586.
Powers, L. E., Geenen, S., Powers, J., Pommier-Satya, S., Turner, A., Dalton, L. D., … & Swank, P. (2012). My Life: Effects of a longitudinal, randomized study of self-determination enhancement on the transition outcomes of youth in foster care and special education. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(11), 2179-2187.
Ali, S. R., Yang, L. Y., Button, C. J., & McCoy, T. T. (2012). Career education programming in three diverse high schools: A critical psychology—case study research approach. Journal of Career Development, 39(4), 357-385.
What to Influence
Ways to Influence
Elementary school ages
mid-elementary to mid-junior high
mid-elementary to mid-junior high
Safe relationship with a responsible adult, exposure to possibilities and opportunities, academic and other achievements, role models, parental support and responsiveness, development of self-aid behaviors
Post-primary ages
mid junior high to high school
mid junior high to high school
Exposure to diverse possibilities, realistic role models, self-awareness and self-inquiry, development of self-regulation, academic achievement, learning skills, and work habits