The role of goal instability and career self-efficacy in the career exploration process

Abstract

This study sought to ascertain why individuals engage in exploratory activity in late adolescence and early adulthood. A review of the relevant career development and human motivation literatures suggested that goal-directedness and career self-efficacy beliefs would be predictive of environmental and self-exploration. Measures of goal instability, career decision-making self-efficacy, and environmental and self-exploratory activity were administered to 106 college students. A canonical analysis was conducted, yielding one significant canonical root that accounted for 37% of the variance between canonical composites. A close examination of this root suggested that self-efficacious beliefs about career decision making and, to a somewhat lesser extent, goal-directedness are associated with environmental and self-exploration. These results were related to theory, research, and practice on the career exploration process.