Career development theory has traditionally focused mainly on career decision- making and work behaviors and patterns, rather than psychological reasons for working. Blustein (2006) has stepped in to close this gap by providing a taxonomy of three core psychological functions of work: work as a means of survival and power, social connection, and self-determination. Blustein proposes these functions of work are influenced by contextual variables such as access to resources and opportunities.
Although it is impossible to measure and define all circumstantial influences that affect core work functions, it is possible to explore how contextual variables, such as age, gender, education, and personality type, affect objectives sought through work, measured as career values. In the current study, secondary data analysis was conducted on data collected from on-line participants who had completed the Career Values Scale (CVS). Three principal components, conceptually aligned to Blustein‘s three core functions of work, were extracted from the CVS: Self-Expression, Extrinsic Rewards, and Working with Others. A series of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests were conducted on these component scores to test hypotheses about how work objectives were influenced by the contextual variables of age, gender, education, and personality type.
Age, gender, and education differences accounted for a small, but significant amount of the variance in the career values component scores. Differences in personality type preferences accounted for a greater amount of the variance in the component scores, emphasizing the need to look at personal characteristics as well as contextual variables when considering reasons for working.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/2646 |
| Date | 23 April 2010 |
| Creators | Dunning, Donna |
| Contributors | Marshall, Elizabeth Anne, Walsh, William John Charles |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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