[4/18/19] Dr. Fani Lauermann - Career Aspirations and Choices within Eccles et al. Expectancy-Value Theory

Post date: Apr 18, 2019 5:29:3 PM

Abstract: Which occupation to pursue is one of the most consequential decisions people make, and represents a key developmental task with long-term implications for job satisfaction, job performance, and psychological well-being. Accordingly, it is important to understand the underlying developmental processes associated with either individual or group differences in occupational choices. Programmatic research grounded in Eccles’ et al. expectancy-value theory (EVT) was designed to contribute towards a better understanding of such choices. I will present a set of studies in which we use EVT to longitudinally investigate the relations between adolescents’ math and language arts-related expectancy/value beliefs and career aspirations, as well as pathways towards adult career attainment. Furthermore, I will focus on potential gender differences in academic self-perceptions and career trajectories, in particular in math-intensive fields. Drawing on both EVT and the Dimensional Comparison Theory (DCT), we will examine potential negative cross-domain influences in the prediction of individual career trajectories. For instance, prior evidence suggests that individuals with high math and high verbal abilities are less likely to attain math-intensive careers than individuals with high math, but only moderate verbal abilities; and actual and perceived verbal ability and academic values negatively predict math-related career aspirations. Our research expands upon this evidence by examining analogous longitudinal cross-domain effects for both math- and language arts-related career outcomes.