1. Lent, Brown, and Hackett’s Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT)

2. Background
SCCT is derived from Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory
3 “building blocks” of career development
Self efficacy
Outcome expectations
Personal Goals

3. 3 Building Blocks
Self efficacy- beliefs about our abilities to succeed
Primary sources of self efficacy
Personal performance and accomplishments
Vicarious learning
Social persuasion
Physiological and affective states
Outcome expectations- beliefs about the outcome of performing particular behaviors
Personal goals- the determination to engage in a particular activity or to effect a particular outcome

4. Key Constructs Interest Development Model
We are attracted to activities that we feel we are competent and successful at
Attitudes and Values
attitudes and values are tied to self efficacy and outcome expectations
Gender and Race/ethnicity
Shape experiences, which influence self efficacy and outcome expectations

5. Key Constructs Choice Model: model for the career choice process
Establishing a goal
Taking action to achieve the goal
Attain a level of performance that determines the direction of future career behavior
Performance Model
concerned with quality and persistence of behavior

6. Empirical Support
Qualitative research on self efficacy has had some consistent, general findings:
It’s predictive
It has a causal relationship with other variables
Gender differences are very influential

7. Social Cognitive Career Theory
Brown, S. and Lent, R. (1996). A social cognitive framework for career choice counseling. The Career Development Quarterly, 44,
Major Tenets
Some people eliminate possible occupations due to faulty self efficacy beliefs or outcome expectations
The greater the perceived barriers to an occupation, the less likely individuals are to pursue those careers
Modifying faulty self efficacy and outcome expectations can help individuals acquire new successful experiences and open their eyes to new career occupations

8. Social Cognitive Career Theory
Counseling Strategies (Brown & Lent, 1996)
1. Identify Foreclosed Occupational Options
Help clients construct the broadest possible array of occupational possibilities, even those they may have eliminated as possibilities, or those that are of lower interest
Administer assessments (look for interest and aptitude match)
2. Analyze Barrier Perceptions
Examine barriers, the likelihood the barriers will be encountered, and develop a plan to overcome the barriers

9. Social Cognitive Career Theory
3. Modify self efficacy beliefs
Help clients develop new performance experiences to enhance self efficacy related to occupations
Reanalyze past experiences and examine the development of faulty self efficacy and/or outcome expectations