Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT)

Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) is a relatively new theory that is aimed at explaining three unified aspects of career development: 1. how basic academic and career interests develop, 2. how educational and career choices are made, and 3. how academic and career success is obtained. The theory incorporates a variety of concepts that appear in earlier career theories and have been found to affect career development (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 2000).
This theory was developed by Robert W. Lent, Steven D. Brown, and Gail Hackett in 1994, SCCT is based on Albert Bandura’s general social cognitive theory, which is an influential theory of cognitive and motivational processes that has been extended to the study of many areas of psychosocial functioning,

Interests in career-relevant activities are seen as the outgrowth of self-efficacy and outcome expectations (Bandura, 1997). Over the course of childhood and adolescence, people are exposed, directly and vicariously, to a variety of occupationally relevant activities in school, at home, and in their communities (Brown, Lent, & Hackett, 2000). They are also deferentially reinforced for continuing their engagement, and for developing their skills, in different activity domains. The types and variety of activities to which children and adolescents are exposed is partly a function of the context and culture in which they grow up (Lent, Hackett, Brown, 1999). Depending on cultural norms, for example, girls are typically exposed to and reinforced for engaging in different types of activities than are boys (Lent, Hackett, Brown, 1999).
Rising mostly through self-efficacy and outcome expectations, career-related interests foster educational and occupational choice goals (Bandura, 1997). Especially to the extent that they are clear, specific, strongly held, stated publicly, and supported by significant others, choice goals make it more likely that people will take actions to achieve their goals (Lent, Hackett, Brown, 1999). Their subsequent performance attainments provide valuable feedback that can strengthen or

The Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale (CDSE) was developed by Karen Taylor and Nancy Betz to apply Albert Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy expectations to the domain of career decision making. Career decision self-efficacy was originally defined by Taylor and Betz as the individual’s belief that he or she can successfully complete tasks necessary in making career decisions. To define these tasks, the theory of career maturity of John O. Crites was used. Crites’s theory defined career maturity as the individual’s degree of possession of five career choice competencies and five career choice attitudes. The five career choice competencies and sample items are: 1. accurate self-appraisal, 2. occupational information, 3. goal selection, 4. planning, and 5. problem