Predicting career information-seeking behavior of school pupils using the theory of planned behavior

Factors affecting breast cancer patients' need for genetic risk information: From information insufficiency to information need

Information-seeking models typically focus on information-seeking behaviors based on individuals' interest in information, because their current level is perceived to be insufficient. In the context of genetic risk information (GRI), however, information insufficiency is difficult to measure and thus can limit understanding of information behavior in the context of GRI. We propose that an individual's need for information might be a more direct and conceptually clearer alternative to predicting their information-seeking behavior. To test this hypothesis, this study investigates the extent to which previously identified factors affecting interest in GRI are also predictors of need for GRI among women diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40 or younger (N = 1,069). As hypothesized, there was a positive association between interest in and need for GRI. Furthermore, hypothesized factors of numeracy, information orientation, and genetic knowledge were significant predictors of increased interest in and need for GRI. In contrast, hypothesized factors of genetic worry and genetic causal belief predicted increased interest in GRI only, while genetic self-efficacy predicted increased need for GRI only. As hypothesized, BRCA status significantly moderated associations between informational norm and both interest in and need for GRI. Collectively, the findings support inclusion of need for GRI in theoretical information-seeking models in the context of genomic risk.

Use of Pirated Compact Discs on Four College Campuses: A Perspective from Theory of Planned Behavior

The Theory of Planned Behavior was chosen as the framework, assuming that college students are rational decision makers seeking to maximize economic gains in purchasing compact discs. A questionnaire was given to 450 students from four college campuses in the Kaohsiung area of Taiwan. Analyses showed that the more positively rated the Behavioral Intention toward purchasing pirated music compact discs, the more likely the college students were to purchase them. Conversely, when Subjective Norms and Perceived Behavioral Control were higher, college students were less likely to make a purchase. Therefore, buying pirated compact discs was consistent with the premises for Attitude, Subjective Norms, and Behavioral Control.

The Effects of Message Framing on College Students' Career Decision Making

Social cognitive career theory posits that verbal persuasion can affect individuals' career self-efficacy, outcome expectations, goals and/or intentions, and behaviors. Prospect theory holds that negatively framed messages can have a powerful effect on people's cognitions related to adopting particular behaviors in situations of uncertainty. Drawing from these two theories, this study explored the effect that persuasive messages have on college students' career decision-making cognitions and behaviors. Results indicated that written persuasive messages enhanced college students' career decision-making outcome expectations, intentions, and behaviors. How the message was framed (whether gain or loss framed) did not differentially affect students' career cognitions, yet students in the loss-framed condition engaged in more career-related behaviors in the week following the message than students in the gain-framed condition.

Perceptions of Barriers to Employment, Coping Efficacy, and Career Search Efficacy in People with Mental Illness

The Barriers to Employment and Coping Efficacy Scale (BECES) and the Career Search Efficacy Scale (CSES) were designed to assist people in their work integration process. The BECES was specifically developed for people with mental illness. Although the CSES was not specifically designed for people with mental illness, its items appear relevant for such clients seeking work. This article reports the construct and convergent validities of these two questionnaires as well as the internal consistency pertaining to each of their subscales. The BECES and CSES demonstrated satisfactory results regarding their validity and reliability with people suffering from mental illness registered in vocational programs. Practical guidelines based on this experience are discussed.

Computer-Based Career Exploration: Usage Patterns and a Typology of Users

This study describes the career exploratory behaviors of high school and college students and offers a typology of users of a Web-delivered computer career guidance application. Access to the records of 87,293 high school and college students allowed for the identification and replication of three emergent types of users: a general browser, a focused user, and an in-depth user. Exit surveys of subsequent career exploratory behavior outside of the web application for a subset of users ( n = 1655) helped to clarify differences in exploration by user type, with in-depth and focused users more likely to seek additional information and to talk with others about their career decisions. Our findings reinforce the importance of focusing student behavior during Web-based guidance and have implications for future research on the ecology of career exploration via the Web.

Employment information needs of Chinese young adults in Sheffield

The authors investigate the question of how Chinese young adults (18—26 years old) in Sheffield seek employment information, and what sources and channels they use. Data collection was via a semi-structured questionnaire (78 responses) and via nine follow-up interviews with respondents to the questionnaire. Fifty-five percent felt that they had encountered barriers when seeking information. The channel which the largest number of employed respondents had used to find their current job was newspapers/magazines, and this was also the channel that the largest number would recommend to a friend. However, the Internet was respondents' favourite and most widely used channel and they perceived both advantages and disadvantages in using it for job seeking. We found that, as in previous studies, affective issues and personal connections were influential in choice of job, and that luck was also perceived as a factor. Recommendations for ways in which services could be better tailored to Chinese young people's needs are made.

Interactive Support Effects on Career Agency and Occupational Engagement Among Young Adults

The PIC model by Gati and Asher describes three career decision making stages: pre-screening, in-depth exploration, and choice of career options. We consider the role that three different forms of support (general career support by parents, emotional/instrumental support, and informational support) may play for young adults in each of these three decision-making stages. The authors further propose that different forms of support may predict career agency and occupational engagement, which are important career decision precedents. In addition, we consider the role of personality traits and perceptions (decision-making window) on these two outcomes. Using an online survey sample ( N = 281), we found that general career support was important for career agency and occupational engagement. However, it was the combination of higher general career support with either emotional/instrumental support or informational support that was found to lead to both greater career agency and higher occupational engagement. Personality also played a role: Greater proactivity also led to greater occupational engagement, even when there was little urgency for participants to make decisions (window of decision-making was wide open and not restricted). In practical terms, the findings suggest that the learning required in each of the three PIC processes (pre-screening, in-depth exploration, choice of career options) may benefit when the learner has access to the three support measures.

Knowledge sharing behaviors among non academic staff of higher learning institutions

Purpose

– This paper aims to develop and combined an understanding of the antecedents of knowledge sharing behavior among the non-academic staff of different higher learning institutions in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

– The researchers tested the hypotheses from the survey data from the non-academic staff of different private and public higher learning institutions in Malaysia. This research also applied confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to examine the proposed hypothesis of this inquiry.

Findings

– The results indicate that attitude and subjective norms both influence the staff knowledge sharing behavior significantly and positively. Additionally, this research also revealed that intention of knowledge sharing variable plays a substantial role as a mediating variable in those relationships.

Research limitations/implications

– This research is a cross-sectional survey. As a result, the limited sample size in this study may affect the power of generalizability. Further research may prove the model across different times to respect the nature of the knowledge sharing behavior among the non-academic staff of higher learning institutions.

Practical implications

– The results of this research clearly explain how academic institutions may proceed for knowledge sharing culture in their respective department by considering the variables used in this inquiry. If the office of any academic institution feels that the knowledge sharing among the non-academic staff is still low, they can utilize the factors as a tool to facilitate the advancement of the knowledge sharing environment in their respective sections.

Originality/value

– Previous research primarily focuses on the knowledge sharing behavior of students and lectures ' perspective. This research minimizes the gap by including the non-academic staff of higher learning institutions. In summation, this research also examined the mediating role of knowledge sharing intention in the relationship between attitude, subjective norms and knowledge sharing behavior.

Personal cancer knowledge and information seeking through PRISM: the planned risk information seeking model

This study retested PRISM, a model of risk information seeking, and found that it is applicable to the context of cancer risk communication. The study, which used an online sample of 928 U.S. adults, also tested the effect of additional variables on that model and found that the original model better fit the data. Among the strongest predictors of cancer information seeking were seeking-related subjective norms, attitude toward seeking, perceived knowledge insufficiency, and affective risk response. Furthermore, risk perception was a strong predictor of an affective risk response. The authors suggest that, given the robustness across studies, the path between seeking-related subjective norms and seeking intention is ready to be implemented in communication practice.

The Impact of Work–Family Conflict on Late-Career Workers’ Intentions to Continue Paid Employment

Drawing from the social cognitive career theory, we examined the relationship between work–family conflict (WFC) and late-career workers’ intentions to continue paid employment. We test the mediating roles of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and preferences to continue paid employment as well as the moderating role of financial satisfaction at the age of 60. Data were collected from 373 working Australians aged 40–60. Results revealed that self-efficacy and outcome expectations partially mediated the negative relationship between WFC and preferences. Family–work conflict (FWC) had a negative indirect effect on preferences via self-efficacy, while outcome expectations did not mediate this relationship. Preferences also partially mediated the positive relationship between self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and intentions. Moreover, financial satisfaction moderated the positive relationship between preferences and intentions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Competencies for the Contemporary Career

A new and promising area of research has recently emerged in the field of career development: career competencies. The present article provides a framework of career competencies that integrates several perspectives from the literature. The framework distinguishes between reflective, communicative, and behavioral career competencies. Six career competencies are discerned: reflection on motivation, reflection on qualities, networking, self-profiling, work exploration, and career control. Based on this framework, we developed the Career Competencies Questionnaire (CCQ) and preliminarily validated it in two samples of young employees between 16 and 30 years of age. The results provided initial support for the content, factorial, discriminant, and incremental validity of the CCQ. We hope to stimulate further discussion, research, and development of interventions in the area of career development. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed.

Tourists' external information search behavior model: the case of Thailand

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to expand and empirically test a model of tourist external information search behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model was developed based on the “three‐pronged approach,” an approach that is used to cross validate among the results from literature review, expert interviews, and an exploratory field study in order to confirm and propose a reliable conceptual model. A confirmatory factor analysis was then performed to ensure that the constructs were valid and reliable. Structural equation modeling was used to test the conceptual model and its hypotheses.

Findings

The results revealed six variables that are significantly related to tourists' external information search behavior. Four of these variables had not been identified previously. These are as follows: information sources usefulness and accessibility, subjective norms, perceived personal risk, and ability to search.

Research limitations/implications

The issue of model generalization should be taken into account because the samples were limited to non‐group tour and first time visited tourists. Further research should consider other tourist groups.

Practical implications

The results from this study provide useful information for both government and tourism‐related businesses in planning marketing communication strategies to help promote Thailand as a travel destination.

Originality/value

By proposing a managerial modeling based on theoretical foundations and methodologies, both quantitative and qualitative approaches, this study is among the first that expands the model of tourist external information search behavior by fully exploring the determinants of external information search behavior and integrates the theory of planned behavior into the model.

Career education: An application of latent growth curve modelling to career information-seeking behaviour of school pupils

BACKGROUND

This study applied the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in an attempt to predict longitudinal growth of career exploratory behaviour in school pupils. The importance of information for making considered career decisions is indicated in theories of career development and choice, career education programmes, and concepts of career maturity.

AIMS

The study aimed to initially model individual and group levels of career exploratory behaviour and then to identify psychological variables that predicted such behaviour.

SAMPLE

Longitudinal data from a sample of 325 adolescents (mean age 16.4 years, SD = 0.77, 45% were male) was collected at three points in time.

METHOD

A latent growth curve model was specified to account for initial status and subsequent linear growth of career exploratory behaviour. Variables representing the TPB were included in the model to explain the variation in the intercept and slope factors.

RESULTS

The latent growth curve model was found to be an acceptable description of the data, and indicated that there was significant individual variability in terms of the intercept and slope factors. Behavioural intention was found to be a significant predictor of the intercept factor, but not of the slope factor.

CONCLUSIONS

It was concluded that the TPB remains a useful theoretical framework from which to explain career information-seeking behaviour.

Employees' Intentions to Retire Early

This study investigated the early retirement intentions of 346 older Dutch employees by extending the theory of planned behavior with anticipated work conditions. The results showed that employees who felt a pressure from their spouse to retire early had a strong intention to leave the work force before the official retirement age, that is 65. Also, employees' retirement attitude and perceived control over the retirement decision were related to early retirement intentions. Finally, the results indicated that employees might postpone early retirement when they anticipate working in a challenging and rewarding work environment. Together, our findings suggest a number of ways in which organizations can affect employees' early retirement decision making.