While taking a personological approach to decision making
theory, this thesis addresses the issue of how adolescents make
occupational decisions. Implicit in this thesis is the idea that
a personological approach to decision making has theoretical and
practical significance when it is conducted through a personality
orientation. The personality orientation used to examine
adolescent decision making is the social cognitive theory of
Berzonsky's identity-processing styles.
Based on Berzonsky's identity-processing styles, 63 adolescents
were classified as Informational, Normative and Diffuse/
avoidant for assessing the extent compensatory (high demand) and
non-compensatory (reduced-demand) processing was used in an occupational
choice situation that varied in cognitive complexity.
Additional interest was also directed at determining whether the
identity-processing styles reflected different intrinsic or extrinsic
value preferences in their final choices.
All processing data was derived through a computerizedinformation
acquisition system called MOUSELAB. As hypothesized,
the three identity-processing styles differed significantly in
cognitive strategy usage and search behavior. Informational
adolescents were seen to use a compensatory additive linear
procedure; that is, they searched a large amount of information,
in a constant fashion, for an extended period of time. Normative
adolescents were seen to use a non-compensatory conjunctive procedure; that is, they searched a smaller amount of information,
in a selective fashion, fora shorter period of time.
Diffuse/avoidant adolescents were seen to use a non-compensatory
elimination-by-aspect procedure; where the amount, selectivity
and time of search was similar to the Normative adolescents. In
regards to search direction, Informationals and Normatives were
seen to assess occupational choices through an alternative-based
search pattern whereas; Diffuse/avoidants were seen to lean
towards an attribute-based search pattern. These processing
results were true only for the high information load condition.
Finally, as expected theoretically, value preferences were seen
to vary according to an adolescent's identity-processing style.
When making an occupational selection, Informational adolescents
placed more emphases on intrinsic values (Feeling of Self-fulfilment,
Intellectual Stimulation, Autonomy ect) whereas Normative
adolescents placed more emphases on extrinsic values (Authority,
Prestige, Wage etc). Diffuse/avoidant adolescents oscillated
between the two value systems.
Implications for decision making theory, applied suggestions
for professionals counselling job-seeking adolescents and limitations
of the study are discussed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/6783 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Chung, Rosamond |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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