Across Academic Domains: Extensions of the Social-Cognitive Career Model

In the present study, the authors investigated the academic subject matter domain specificity of the social-cognitive career choice model (R. W. Lent, S. D. Brown, & G. Hackett, 1994). The relationships between self-efficacy, goals, outcome expectations, and interests were examined across the subject areas of art, social science, math/science, and English to see if the predicted relationships hold for subject domains other than math/science. Previously validated scales in each of the subject domains were used in a survey of undergraduates (N=952) in introductory psychology classes at 2 Midwestern universities. Structural equation modeling was used to test 4 different models. The results indicated support for the social-cognitive career model relationships in each of the 4 subject areas and revealed that these relationships are remarkably similar across subject areas. Some modifications in the model were made, including the use of 4 background variables examined in the study.