THE RELATIONSHIP OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESOURCES TO CAREER DECISION-MAKING OF LIBERAL ARTS FRESHMEN, SENIORS, AND ALUMNI
Abstract
The current study explored the decision-making process in a volunteer sample of 400 liberal arts freshmen, seniors, and graduates of Fordham College. Differences between males and females in career decision making, traditional and nontraditional career choices, and projected life styles were also investigated. The results were analyzed within the framework of the career decision-making models of Harren and Miller-Tiedeman. The results of Harren's Assessment of Career Decision Making (ACDM) indicated that the seniors scored significantly higher than the freshmen on the Major and Occupation Scales. There were no significant differences between male and female students on any of the measures of career decision making. The female respondents were more likely to choose nontraditional occupations than their mothers as indicated by family employment data. The respondents also expressed the desire for a blended life style which would permit the realization of career and family roles. The respondents indicated that both primary (self, parents, siblings, peers) and secondary (college and work experiences, counselors, faculty, published information) resources influenced their career decisions. Primary resources were more significant in the early stages of career decision making, while secondary resources increased in significance in the later stages. Over 75% of the sample reported financial support from various college assistance programs. The respondents expressed a need for earlier and expanded resources in career counseling and more feedback from the faculty regarding coursework and career direction. The data show differences in decision-making stages between students at various college and postcollege levels. Primary and secondary resources can be viewed as being complementary in career decision making. The conditions required for movement in the career decision-making process include the appraisal of self, making appropriate intervening decisions, knowledge of available alternatives, and freedom from disruptive anxiety.
Subject Area
Educational psychology
Recommended Citation
GARFINKEL, TOBY FAYE, "THE RELATIONSHIP OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESOURCES TO CAREER DECISION-MAKING OF LIBERAL ARTS FRESHMEN, SENIORS, AND ALUMNI" (1986). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI8624482.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI8624482
