The role of ambiguity tolerance in career decision making

Evolution of ambiguity tolerance research a scientometric and bibliometric analysis

Introduction

The present study conducts a retrospective bibliometric analysis to examine the quantifiable and qualitative evolution of the concept of tolerance to ambiguity (TA) over time. Additionally, a scientometric analysis using quantitative methods on scientific measurements and trends aims to profile and identify the concept, as well as its development in research themes. The relevance of this study is underscored by the growing interest and development of research on TA, particularly in fields like entrepreneurship where psychological factors are significant.

Methods

The research includes highly relevant literature, such as Budner and Frenkel-Brunswick, which define TA as a predisposition to perceive ambiguous situations as desirable and as a personality variable centered on the emotional and perceptual domain, respectively. Data was obtained from the eight indices comprising the main Web of Science collection, covering research from 1975 to December 2022. A total of 378 articles were identified.

Results

The analysis reveals that scientific production peaked in 2022 with 45 articles. In terms of citations, 7,773 were found, with the highest concentration in 2022, totaling 1,203 citations. This indicates a significant increase in research interest and output related to TA.

Discussion

The study highlights the growing exploration of the concept of TA, emphasizing its importance across multiple disciplines in dealing with uncertainty. The research demonstrates that TA significantly influences decision-making and adaptability, highlighting its value in business and educational settings. By analyzing leading publications, authors, and research centers, the study shows the diversity of approaches to understanding TA, indicating a promising direction for future research.

Associations of clinical context-specific ambiguity tolerance with burnout and work engagement among Japanese physicians: a nationwide cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

Ambiguity tolerance specific to the clinical context - in contrast to ambiguity tolerance as a personality trait - may vary with experience and has received considerable attention. Although this tolerance appears to be related to burnout and work engagement, few studies have examined this association among physicians. Thus, we aimed to examine the relationships between clinical context-specific ambiguity tolerance, burnout, and work engagement among physicians in Japan.

METHODS

We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study in Japan. We invited family physicians from 14 family medicine residency programs and physicians with specialties other than family medicine from monitors of an Internet survey company to participate in the study. We measured ambiguity tolerance in the clinical context using the Japanese version of the Tolerance of Ambiguity in Medical Students and Doctors (J-TAMSAD) scale, burnout using the Japanese version of the Burnout Assessment Scale (BAT-J), and work engagement using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). We performed a multivariable linear regression analysis to determine whether the J-TAMSAD scale score was associated with the BAT-J and UWES scores.

RESULTS

383 respondents were included in the analysis. After adjustment for possible confounders, clinical context-specific ambiguity tolerance showed a dose-dependent negative association with burnout (adjusted mean difference  -0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.56 to -0.22 for the highest J-TAMSAD score quartile compared with the lowest). Ambiguity tolerance in the clinical context also showed a dose-dependent positive association with work engagement (adjusted mean difference 0.83, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.16 for the highest J-TAMSAD score quartile compared with the lowest).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that tolerance for ambiguity in the clinical context was negatively associated with burnout, and positively associated with work engagement. These findings will be useful in developing interventions aimed at preventing burnout and promoting work engagement among physicians.

Coping with academic stress: Ambiguity and uncertainty tolerance in college students

Stress is a barrier to academic success for college students and the unique resilience effects of ambiguity and uncertainty tolerance have yet to be explored. We hypothesized that tolerance of ambiguity and tolerance of uncertainty relate to academic stress differently.

We recruited 158 undergraduate participants from a medium-size public university in the Midwestern United States.

Participants completed measures of ambiguity tolerance, uncertainty tolerance, and academic stress coping strategies. Three separate regression analyses were conducted to predict approach coping, avoidance coping, and social support coping.

Results indicated that intolerance of ambiguity is a stronger predictor of approach and avoidance academic stress coping strategies compared to intolerance of uncertainty.

These findings will allow for a better understanding of the dynamics underlying coping with academic stress that will be helpful to consider in vocational as well as mental health counseling for college students.

Influence of Career Decision Ambiguity Tolerance Preference on Career Adaptability: The Role of Individual and Organizational Career Management

Drawing on the career construction and cognitive appraisal theory, this study constructs a moderated mediation model to explore the mechanism of career decision ambiguity tolerance preference (CDAT-P) on career adaptability via challenge appraisal, as well as the interactive effect of individual and organizational career management. Participants comprised 1023 Chinese university students who completed questionnaires with a three-wave design. The results show that CDAT-P positively predicts career adaptability, and challenge appraisal mediates the direct effect. Moreover, individual career management and organizational career management have an interactive effect on the direct relationship between CDAT-P and challenge appraisal and the first stage of the mediating effect. Specifically, when individual and organizational career management are high, the positive direct effect of CDAT-P on challenge appraisal and the mediating effect are stronger.

Development and Initial Validation of the Career Decision-Making Ambiguity Scale

The dual-process theory of career decision-making (DTC) adds to the conversation about understanding and facilitating career decision-making from a more realistic and inclusive perspective and highlights the joint operation of decision ambiguity and ambiguity management strategies in career decision-making. However, a psychometrically sound measure of decision ambiguity is lacking. Thus, the current study used two samples of U.S. college students to develop and initially validate a measure of decision ambiguity (CDMA). Study 1 ( n = 195) developed the CDMA and found initial evidence for a unidimensional structure. Study 2 ( n = 271) cross-validated the unidimensional structure of the CDMA and supported the convergent, discriminant, concurrent, and incremental validities of the CDMA. Specifically, the results supported (1) the differential associations of the CDMA with need for information and with neuroticism/negative affectivity, lack of readiness, and interpersonal conflicts, (2) the positive association between the CDMA and choice/commitment anxiety, and (3) the incremental predictions of the CDMA for career decidedness, career certainty, and major satisfaction over and beyond need for information. Therefore, the current study offers a psychometrically sound measure of decision ambiguity, which has potential to facilitate the scientific inquiry and social justice application of the DTC.

The Role of Ambiguity Tolerance and Enthusiasm on Chinese University Teachers’ Burnout

Educators face numerous vague conditions in their daily practice and they must manage students with diverse characters that lead to burnout. In addition, tolerance of ambiguity is a term used by educators as the capability to control new, complicated or insoluble situations. Moreover, educator enthusiasm and its effect on instruction was neglected. And due to the essential function that teachers’ burnout plays in the efficiency of their achievement in the scholastic cycle, the present study inspected whether the above-mentioned constructs such as teachers’ ambiguity tolerance and enthusiasm can influence their burnout on one hand and on the other hand if these constructs can predict the teachers’ burnout or not. For the objective of the study, a group of 495 female and male Chinese university teachers in 18 provinces of China were asked to fill out the three scales, namely, teacher enthusiasm, ambiguity tolerance, and burnout. The primary results of the research, achieved through running Spearman Rho, specify that there are constructive relationships between ambiguity tolerance, enthusiasm and by employing multiple regression analysis; it is revealed that both variables, namely ambiguity tolerance, enthusiasm were the predictors of teachers’ burnout, while ambiguity tolerance was a better predictor. Accordingly, based on these findings, it can be concluded that both of these factors affect teachers’ burnout in the teaching process. In addition, this study can provide additional implications for academic scholars and experts in academic settings.

The Structure of the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire Across 13 Countries

Assessing the causes of career indecision is among the first steps in career counseling. Gati et al. (1996) proposed a multidimensional taxonomy of career indecision and developed the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ), consisting of 10 scales that cohere into three higher-order clusters and a total score. However, studies investigating the CDDQ reported cross-cultural variations in its factor structure. To examine the cross-cultural generalizability of the CDDQ, we compared four alternative factor models using data from 39 diverse samples from 13 countries with nine language versions ( N = 19,562). Using weighted least squares mean- and variance-adjusted estimation, a robust estimator for nonnormal data, comparison of fit indices supported the original CDDQ structure across countries and languages. These findings support the cross-cultural generalizability of the structure of the CDDQ and the use of 10 scale scores, three cluster scores, and a total score, consistent with the taxonomy underlying the CDDQ.

Coping With Students' Stress and Burnout: Learners' Ambiguity of Tolerance

In the learning milieu, academic stress is deemed as the most general mental condition that learners encounter throughout their educational process, and it has been viewed as one of the most central issues not only in general education but also specifically in language learning. Likewise, burnout has been the main point in this situation. The comprehensive sources of stress and the reasons for burnout are pinpointed in the literature so realizing their association with other aspects such as coping strategies, namely tolerance of uncertainty, are at the center of attention as it may help reduce burnout and decrease the level of stress. To this end, the goal of the present study is to prove the influence of the tolerance of ambiguity in explaining the role of stress and burnout. Briefly, some implications are set forth for the educational stakeholders.

Career indecision: an integrative review and research agenda

Purpose

The current review sought to bring light to the issue of an underexplored career phenomenon – career indecision. Career indecision is a significant developmental stage in one’s career life and has been a prominent topic in vocational psychology research in the past decades. However, it has received scant scholarly attention in the human resource development (HRD) field. Besides, the career indecision literature, in general, is lacking theoretical refinement and analytical review. The present study aims to stimulate HRD scholars’ interests by providing an introductory context for understanding the richness and potentialities of researching career indecision in the HRD area.

Design/methodology/approach

To address the gap, the author conducted an integrative review (Torraco, 2005, 2016) of 60 peer-reviewed articles and synthesized the existing knowledge of career indecision. More importantly, antecedent and outcome factors associated with career indecision were identified and analyzed.

Findings

A nomological network about career indecision was provided. Besides, the results of the integrative review revealed several omissions in the career indecision literature. Building upon that, implications for HRD research and practice are presented and discussed.

Originality/value

As an initial attempt to synthesize career indecision literature, this study sought to stimulate HRD professionals’ interest in examining this underexplored career phenomenon.

Understanding the Dysfunctionality of Dysfunctional Career Decision-Making Beliefs: Ambiguity Aversion as a General Mechanism

Although dysfunctional career decision-making beliefs represent an important assessment and intervention area in career counseling, the empirical foundation and the general mechanism of the dysfunctionality of dysfunctional career decision-making beliefs remain not fully clear. Based on the dual-process theory of career decision-making, the current study used a sample of U.S. college students ( n = 200) and examined a longitudinal mediation model in which dysfunctional career decision-making beliefs predict subsequent career decidedness, career commitment, and academic major satisfaction through ambiguity aversion. The results supported the hypothesized mediation model in that dysfunctional career decision-making beliefs negatively predicted subsequent career decidedness, career commitment, and academic major satisfaction, and ambiguity aversion mediated all three links. Therefore, the present study not only shows that dysfunctional career decision-making has a pervasive detrimental role in career decision-making but also sheds light on the intricate relationship between dysfunctional career decision-making beliefs and ambiguity management in career decision-making. The limitations of this study and suggestions for future research are also discussed.

Autonomous Versus Controlled Motivation on Career Indecision: The Mediating Effect of Career Exploration

Effective career decision-making outcomes may depend on the type of motivation underlying career development. The purpose of this study was to analyze how autonomous and controlled motivation predict exploration behaviors and career indecision and in which degree the effect of motivation on indecision is mediated by career exploration (environmental exploration, self-exploration, intended-systematic exploration and amount of information), among a group of high-school students (10th, 11th, and 12th grades, N = 523, M = 16.40). An integrative model was tested using path analysis to test direct and indirect effects and model fit (AMOS 20.0). The final model showed good fit to the data. Three indirect effects were found significant, being self-exploration, and amount of information presented as mediators. Our results highlight the importance to design career interventions not only focusing on promoting exploration behaviors but also on creating purposeful planning, based on students’ reasons underlying their involvement in the career decision-making process.

Investigating Psychometrics of Career Decision Ambiguity Tolerance Scale

This study aimed to validate career decision ambiguity tolerance scale-Korean form applicable to a Korean sample. In study 1, 17-items from the original 18-item career decision ambiguity tolerance scale were valid based on IRT. In study 2, using the confirmatory factor analysis, we showed that excluding item 4 from the original scale is better than including it in the three factors model. Given the results of study 1 and 2, the constructs in the 17-item career decision ambiguity tolerance scale-Korean form were valid. In study 3, career decision ambiguity tolerance positively predicted career decision-making self-efficacy, career indecision, and career adaptability, respectively, after controlling for calling and career search self-efficacy. Thus, the incremental validity of the career decision ambiguity tolerance scale-Korean form was ensured. In study 4, the reliability of the scale was retained as the test-retest (conducted over a 4-week period) demonstrated adequate results.

Development and Initial Validation of the Constructivist Beliefs in the Career Decision-Making Scale

Although career adaptability and constructivist beliefs both capture important aspects of career construction, previous research has predominantly focused on career adaptability and ignored the importance of constructivist beliefs. Drawing on career construction theory and decision-making science, the current study proposes two factors (i.e., satisficing decision and agentic creation) of constructivist beliefs in career decision-making (CBCD) and develops and initially validates a scale measuring the two factors. Study 1 develops the CBCD Scale and supports the two-factor structure of the CBCD through exploratory factor analysis. Study 2 supports the internal consistency reliability of the CBCD and cross-validates the two-factor structure of the CBCD through confirmatory factor analysis. Additionally, Study 2 finds support for the incremental predictions of the CBCD for career indecision and career decision ambiguity management over and beyond career adaptability. The theoretical and practical implications of the CBCD are discussed, as are the limitations and suggestions for future research.

The potential of computer-mediated internships for higher education

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the opportunities and limitations of computer-mediated internships (CMIs) for higher education providers (HEPs) and to outline how HEPs may maximize the benefits that arise from CMIs through strategic choices.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides a systematic assessment of the benefits, opportunities and limitations of CMIs. A particular focus of the paper concerns ways in which HEPs may utilize CMIs to maximize student learning as well as institutional benefits in terms of the use of expertise, collaborations and the achievement of institutional targets.

Findings

Benefits of CMIs include the more inclusive access of previously disadvantaged student groups to internship opportunities, as well as fewer restrictions for HEPs and employers. Given the right design, CMIs can provide a number of important learning opportunities to students while providing extensive opportunities for HEPs. However, the benefits of CMIs need to be viewed in line with the challenges that arise, such as the skill and expertise required to implement CMIs, the required investment of resources, and the currently limited acceptance of CMIs by employers.

Practical implications

The findings of the paper highlight that CMIs have the potential to be highly beneficial for HEPs and students. In addition, the paper showcases how HEPs may address the limitations of traditional internships, as well as the challenges that arise in relation to CMIs, through the systematic and well supported application of technological solutions.

Originality/value

The paper makes an important contribution to the literature because it is the first to evaluate the potential of CMIs for the providers of higher education programs.

Career Decision Ambiguity Tolerance and Career Decision-Making Difficulties in a French Sample: The Mediating Role of Career Decision Self-Efficacy

In the current work, we investigated the relationship between career decision ambiguity tolerance (CDAT) and career decision-making difficulties among French-speaking university students. In a preliminary validation study ( N = 246), we examined the psychometric properties of the CDAT Scale. Our results showed that the French CDAT Scale had satisfactory levels of scale score reliability, that its factor structure was consistent with the original three-factor structure, and that it had incremental predictive power over general ambiguity tolerance when predicting career decision self-efficacy and career adaptability. In a second study ( N = 412), building on social cognitive career theory, we hypothesized that career decision self-efficacy mediates the relationship between CDAT and career decision-making difficulties. Results were consistent with our hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Dysfunctional Career Decision-Making Beliefs: A Multidimensional Model and Measure

Dysfunctional beliefs are among the most prevalent, severe difficulties many individuals face in the process of making career decisions. The goal of the present study was to develop and test a new multidimensional measure of Dysfunctional Career Decision-Making Beliefs ( DCB). The DCB questionnaire elicits individuals’ beliefs in five aspects of career decision-making: the role of chance or fate, the criticality of the decision, the role of significant others, the role of professional help, and perceived gender barriers. Study 1 used exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis to test the psychometric properties and the five-factor structure of the DCB with a sample of 937 young adults deliberating about their future career. Study 2 used confirmatory factor analysis to validate the structure of the DCB with another sample of 1,251 young adults and analyzed the associations between individuals’ DCB Scale scores and career decision status to test its concurrent validity. The results supported the proposed multidimensional model of dysfunctional beliefs. Implications for future research and career counseling are discussed.

Career Exploration and Career Decision-Making Difficulties

This article investigated the moderating role of creative self-efficacy (CSE) on the relationship between career exploration and career decision-making difficulties among French undergraduate students ( N = 415). Drawing a parallel between the career decision-making process and the notion of creative problem-solving, we reasoned that career exploration without CSE—that is, the confidence in one’s own ability to solve original and complex problems—can be associated with career decision-making difficulties. Our study shows that among students who have low levels of CSE, environmental exploration, and self-exploration regarding career options are respectively associated with dysfunctional beliefs regarding one’s career path and general indecisiveness. We discuss the implications of the results.

Use of multi-group confirmatory factor analysis in examining measurement invariance in counseling psychology research

The purpose of this article is to introduce the theoretical implications and analytic strategies of measurement invariance. The article is focused on three important invariance conditions, consisting of configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance. Configural invariance refers to a qualitatively invariant measurement pattern of latent constructs across groups. Metric invariance refers to a quantitatively invariant measurement model of latent constructs across groups. Scale invariance refers to invariant mean levels of latent constructs across groups. While each invariance condition depicts one aspect of the relation between latent constructs with manifest observations, a progressive statistical strategy of measurement invariance was introduced based on multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. The article also provided a case example illustrating how to apply and examine measurement invariance in counseling psychology, with detailed theoretical implications and analytic decision-makings in each step. Application of measurement invariance in measurement comparison across multiple groups (e.g., gender, developmental stages, and national boundaries) was discussed and recommended.

Career Decision Ambiguity Tolerance and Its Relations With Adherence to the RIASEC Structure and Calling

While career decision ambiguity tolerance (CDAT) has been repeatedly shown to play a salient role in career decision-making, a potential revision of its measurement model has been indicated in past research. More importantly, it remains less clear as to what individual characteristics are associated with high CDAT. We examined a four-factor model of CDAT (i.e., preference, tolerance, confidence, and aversion) and its associations with adherence to the realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprise, and conventional (RIASEC) structure and career calling in a sample of college students ( N = 248). The results of the current study supported the four-factor model being superior to the original three-factor model in representing the structure of CDAT. It was also found that adherence to the RIASEC structure was positively associated with preference, presence of calling was positively associated with confidence, and search for calling was positively associated with aversion. The implications of the results were discussed with respect to the theory and research of CDAT. Limitations and suggestions for future research were also provided.

Career as Affective Journey: How Constant Flux Challenges the Search for Career Pathways and Counseling

Individuals have to actively manage their careers and with it their identities in this life domain. With the help of empirical findings and field reports, we will show how these changing demands need to be negotiated as part of identity development and, thus, career counseling processes. While Dialogical Self Theory (DST) is used to describe the constant negotiation of the self (identity) including dialogues within the person as well as dialogues with others, the Trajectory Equifinality Model (TEM) will help depict the development of career pathways that result from both - with a special focus on affective linking. Based on DST and TEM, it is argued that finding the right career is an ongoing and affective process and with that a developmental phenomenon that can be supported by different means: typologies that relate the individual to a larger population as well as idiographic approaches.

Intolerance of uncertainty in body dysmorphic disorder

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a transdiagnostic construct associated with several anxiety and related disorders. Three studies were conducted to explore the potential relationship between IU and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Study 1 revealed a positive relationship between IU and BDD symptoms above symptoms of anxiety and depression in an unselected student sample (N=88). Study 2 demonstrated a similar relationship between IU and BDD symptoms above negative affectivity and intolerance of ambiguity in a community sample (N=116). Study 3 found that a clinical BDD sample (N=23) reported greater IU than healthy controls (N=20), though this relationship was accounted for by symptoms of anxiety and depression. Greater IU predicted functional impairment in the clinical sample above BDD symptoms and past-week anxiety and depression. The observed relationship between IU and BDD symptoms provides preliminary support for the relevance of IU to this population.

Social Support and Career Psychological States

This study examined the mediating role of person–environment (P-E) fit in the relationships of perceived social support (PSS) with perceived employability and career decision self-efficacy (CDSE). The moderating role of gender was also tested in the PSS and P-E fit relationship and in the P-E fit mediated relationships of PSS with perceived employability and CDSE. Seven hundred and ninety-nine Chinese university students returned usable questionnaires. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results demonstrated that P-E fit fully mediated the relationship between PSS and perceived employability and partially mediated the PSS–CDSE relationship. Multi-group SEM revealed that the relationship between PSS and P-E fit was stronger among males than among females. This gender difference also contributed to the gender difference in the indirect relationships of PSS with perceived employability and CDSE via P-E fit, such that these indirect relationships were stronger for males than for females.

Ambiguity Tolerance With Career Indecision

The mediation of career decision-making self-efficacy on the link of ambiguity tolerance (AT) with career indecision was examined in a sample of college students ( N = 253). It was hypothesized that AT could help reduce career indecision through increasing career decision-making self-efficacy, where this effect would vary by different types of indecision. Results supported the differential mediation hypothesis, finding that career decision-making self-efficacy mediated the link of AT with lack of motivation, general indecisiveness, lack of information, and inconsistent information. The mediation effect of career decision-making self-efficacy on the link of AT with lack of motivation was relatively weak. The implications of this study are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.