Career success criteria and locus of control as indicators of adaptive readiness in the career adaptation model

Towards a neurocomputational account of social controllability: From models to mental health

Controllability, or the influence one has over their surroundings, is crucial for decision-making and mental health. Traditionally, controllability is operationalized in sensorimotor terms as one's ability to exercise their actions to achieve an intended outcome (also termed "agency"). However, recent social neuroscience research suggests that humans also assess if and how they can exert influence over other people (i.e., their actions, outcomes, beliefs) to achieve desired outcomes ("social controllability"). In this review, we will synthesize empirical findings and neurocomputational frameworks related to social controllability. We first introduce the concepts of contextual and perceived controllability and their respective relevance for decision-making. Then, we outline neurocomputational frameworks that can be used to model social controllability, with a focus on behavioral economic paradigms and reinforcement learning approaches. Finally, we discuss the implications of social controllability for computational psychiatry research, using delusion and obsession-compulsion as examples. Taken together, we propose that social controllability could be a key area of investigation in future social neuroscience and computational psychiatry research.

Relationships between proactive personality, work locus of control, and vocational satisfaction: the role of level of education

In this study, we examine the relationships between proactive personality, work locus of control, and vocational satisfaction. Moreover, we argue that these relationships vary depending on employees' levels of education (i.e., employees with academic degrees versus without academic degrees). Drawing on Trait Activation Theory, we expected more pronounced relationships of proactive personality and work locus of control with vocational satisfaction for employees with academic degrees. We collected data of N = 2068 employees with a broad range of occupational backgrounds to test our assumptions. A partial disaggregation model revealed that both proactive personality and work locus of control were positively related to vocational satisfaction and that these relationships differed depending on the level of education. Regarding the relationship between proactive personality and vocational satisfaction, we only found evidence among employees with academic degrees. Although work locus of control and vocational satisfaction were significantly related among both groups of employees, the relationship was even more pronounced among employees without academic degrees. Consequently, our results underline the importance of taking inter-individual differences, such as the level of education, into consideration when looking at the effects of proactive personality and work locus of control on work-related well-being.

How Career Exploration Affects Employment Outcomes: A Two-Wave Study Among Young Chinese Adults

Drawing on social cognitive career theory (SCCT) and trait activation theory, this study investigated how and when career exploration affects career outcomes in early adulthood with an integrated conceptual framework. Data came from a two-wave survey of young Chinese adults ( N = 239). This study examined a serial mediation model in which career exploration related to career satisfaction and person-job fit via career success criteria clarity (CSCC) and career decision making self-efficacy (CDSE) sequentially. Results showed, as expected, that more career exploration was related to higher career satisfaction and better person-job fit via higher career success criteria clarity and CDSE. In addition, results indicated that the indirect effect of career exploration on career outcomes becomes stronger when family socioeconomic status is lower. The current research provided insights into the underlying mechanisms between career exploration and career outcomes and the findings offered practical implications for both career educators and consultants.

Understanding the serial mediating effects of career adaptability and career decision-making self-efficacy between parental autonomy support and academic engagement in Chinese secondary vocational students

This study investigated new avenues for understanding the association between parental autonomy support and academic engagement among Chinese secondary vocational students based on Self-Determination Theory and Career Construction Theory. We highlighted the mediator role of career adaptability and career decision-making self-efficacy in the relationship between parental autonomy support and academic engagement. Using self-reported data from 1,930 secondary vocational students in a city in Central China, we performed correlation analysis and mediation analysis by using SPSS and Mplus. The results revealed that parental autonomy support was positively associated with students’ academic engagement. Moreover, as an adaptability resource and adapting response, career adaptability and career decision-making self-efficacy played mediating roles between parental autonomy support and academic engagement. These findings offered crucial empirical evidence for understanding the association between parental support and academic engagement among Chinese secondary vocational students. Meanwhile, it also validated the application of Career Construction Theory in a sample of secondary vocational students in China and provided constructive insights for implementing diverse support measures to boost their academic and career development.

How Do Students Become Good Workers? Investigating the Impact of Gender and School on the Relationship between Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy and Career Exploration

In the field of vocational psychology, career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) and career exploration (CE) are considered the crucial factors for developing a sustainable career. This study investigated the relationship between CDMSE and CE among Chinese high-school students, as well as the moderating effects of gender and school. From 2019 to 2021, 24,273 students from 13 different high schools were recruited in the study (male = 15,050, female = 9223; urban schools = 12,327, rural schools = 11,946). The results showed that (i) male students scored significantly higher than female students in both CDMSE and CE, (ii) students from urban schools scored significantly higher than students from rural schools in both CDMSE and CE, (iii) CDMSE positively predicted CE, and (iv) school moderated the relationship between CDMSE and CE, with the effect of CDMSE on CE stronger among rural school students; a moderating effect of gender was not found. These findings indicate that promoting CDMSE can lead high-school students, especially rural school students, to engage more in CE to ensure sustainable career development under the protean and boundaryless career orientation.

Career Success Criteria Clarity as a Predictor of Employment Outcomes

Drawing on the goal-setting theory and social cognitive career theory (SCCT), this study empirically proposes an operational definition of career success criteria clarity (CSCC) and further explores its impact on career satisfaction, person–job fit, and subjective well-being through the mediating role of career decision-making self-efficacy (CDSE). A pilot study of 231 samples showed that the CSCC scale had good reliability and validity. To further test the effects of CSCC on crucial employment outcomes, as well as the mediating role of CDSE, 240 employees were included in an additional survey. Structural equation modeling path analysis supported all the expected hypotheses. Results indicated that: (1) CSCC was positively correlated to career satisfaction; (2) CSCC was positively correlated to person–job fit; (3) CSCC was positively correlated to subjective well-being; (4) CSCC was positively correlated to CDSE; (5) CDSE fully mediated the relationship between CSCC and career satisfaction; (6) CDSE fully mediated the relationship between CSCC and person–job fit; and (7) CDSE partly mediated the relationship between CSCC and subjective well-being. The results contributed to social cognitive career theory model and provided suggestions for both the career educators and consultants.

From School to Work: Improving Graduates’ Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy

As boundaryless careers become mainstream, individuals need to enhance career decision-making self-efficacy (CDSE) during career transitions to secure better employment outcomes and sustainable career development, especially when moving from a school to a work environment. Drawing on social cognitive career theory, this study empirically proposed a moderated mediation model to examine whether proactive personality (measured at Time 1), career success criteria clarity (CSCC, measured at Time 2), and family socioeconomic status (including family income, parents’ educational level, and parents’ occupational level; measured at Time 1) would contribute to CDSE (measured at Time 2). Results based on a two-wave survey of 235 college students showed that: (1) proactive personality positively predicted CDSE; (2) CSCC positively predicted CDSE; (3) CSCC partly mediated the relation between proactive personality and CDSE; (4) the positive effect of CSCC on CDSE was stronger among students with a lower family socioeconomic status. Individuals with strong proactive personalities were more likely to develop salience in career success criteria and in turn became more confident in making career decisions. Therefore, vocational educators in higher education could help to improve students’ CDSE by promoting training programs for proactive thinking, providing successful role models, and encouraging family involvement, especially for students with a lower family socioeconomic status.

Parents’ Career Values, Adaptability, Career-Specific Parenting Behaviors, and Undergraduates’ Career Adaptability

This study examined how Chinese parents’ career values and adaptability predict their career-specific parenting behaviors and their children’s career adaptability. We conducted a survey study with Chinese university students and their parents ( N = 264), and found support for the mediating roles of career-specific parenting behaviors in linking parents’ vocational characteristics and children’s career adaptability. Specifically, parental support is positively related to parents’ intrinsic fulfillment values, work–life balance values, and career adaptability. Moreover, parental support mediates the relationship between these variables and undergraduates’ career adaptability. Parental engagement mediates the negative effect of external compensation values and positive effect of work–life balance values on undergraduates’ career adaptability. Parental interference is negatively related to parents’ work–life balance values, and positively related to their external compensation values and career adaptability, but does not significantly predict undergraduates’ career adaptability. These findings advance current understanding of the career construction theory.

Knowledge Sharing in a Critical Moment of Work

This article aims at proofing empirically the influence of social interaction in knowledge sharing by focusing on key persons and the way the knowledge-sharing is spread in order to produce some outcome for the organization through individuals within it. The object of this study is employees of Post Offices in Central Java who frequently share information with their co-workers in accomplishing their jobs. The data is acquired from questionnaires distributed to managers and supervisor level of Post office. Based on purposive sampling method, 210 samples are obtained. The results indicate that the five hypotheseses built in this research are supported and only one hypothesis is not supported. The result shows that employees with specific, complicated, and challenging objective will be more willing to share their knowledge to other employees, particularly when facing new job and target. Furthermore, the result of the study explains that sharing idea of improvement will encourage more dynamic teamwork and help each other in solving any problems.

Proactive career self-management: exploring links among psychosocial career attributes and adaptability resources

The study explored whether the positive links between individuals’ psychosocial career attributes and career adaptability resources empirically represent the characteristics associated with proactive career self-management behaviour. A cross-sectional convenience sample of Black and White ( N = 248) working adults participated in the study. The redundancy analysis of the canonical correlation analysis indicated positive links between the career attributes of behavioural adaptability, career directedness, self-esteem, self/other skills, social connectivity, and career purpose, and the four career adaptability resources of career concern, career control, career curiosity, and career confidence. The common synthetic themes that emerged from the positive associations described the characteristics of proactive career self-management behaviour, including (1) self-efficacious adaptive goal-directed behaviour, (2) proactive psychosocial career engagement behaviour, and (3) career resilience. The three dimensions offer considerations for practitioners involved in career development and counselling discussions with employees who need to develop personal agency in their career development and management.