Investigated cognitive dissonance as a mechanism associated with vocational decision processes in students (N=224) enrolled in a professional training program. Results did not support the hypothesis that individuals who change their course of action regarding vocational choice will exhibit dissonance-related variables that are different from those…

Examined the impact of the College Entrance Examination Board's Decisions and Outcomes Program on the career maturity of 132 high school students. Results indicated the program increased students' career maturity and decision-making skills. Students with greater ego identity produced higher scores on certain attitude components of career maturity.…

Five educational groups, ranging from high school freshmen to college juniors, were administered the Career Decision Questionnaire, a scale designed to measure antecedents of educational-vocational indecision. It was determined that age was an extremely important factor in career decidedness. Sex was not an important variable in determining…

Compared the 40 "best" (most congruent with values) and 40 "worst" decision makers on the Career Decision Simulation. The "best" decision makers were significantly more persistent in immediately seeking information about an occupation that seemed to match one of their most important personal work values. (Author)

Investigates the influence of social reinforcement, modeling, direct reinforcement, and words and images on the acquisition of career-related preferences. Students identified social reinforcement as the most important antecedent for their career preference. Career decision making skills mediate the influence of models and direct reinforcement on…

Reviews implications for career decision making (CDM) from recent studies. Techniques of decision analysis have been developed for helping people to make better decisions. These methods might be of value to CDM, both in supplementing traditional guidance procedure and in defining criteria used to evaluate CDM. (Author)

Examined the concept of vocational development in relation to structural changes which occur in the cognitive schemata individuals use to process vocational information. Results from 101 college undergraduates indicated that vocational decision-making skills, career exploration, and career planning varied as a function of cognitive structure.…

In a sample of 1622 students in college for three years, 24 percent indecisive students were found and compared with vocationally decisive students (having majors) using precollege measures of achievement, aptitude, and interest. Measures of interest differentiation were of particular concern. Most important to vocational indecision, however, was…

Suggested a model of decision making as a potential tool for assisting people in the process of career planning and tested the model on university students (N=40) and ninth-grade students (N=44). Concluded that the model had high predictive power regarding the actual choices made. (LLL)