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Exploring the Role of Work Volition Within Social Cognitive Career Theory

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Journal of Career Assessment

Published online on

Abstract

The current study examined the role of work volition within social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) with a sample of 292 undergraduate students in science-related majors. Students with higher levels of volition endorsed higher levels of science self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and goals. Analyses revealed that work volition was a significant moderator in the link of self-efficacy and outcomes expectations and self-efficacy and goals; stronger links were found in students with lower levels of volition. A structural model was tested with all hypothesized SCCT paths and examined whether work volition continued to moderate these two paths. The model was an excellent fit to the data, and all theorized direct and indirect effects were significant. However, in the full model, work volition was no longer a significant moderator, suggesting that the direction and strength of the relations within the SCCT model are equivalent for students at varying levels of work volition. Practical implications are discussed.