Research says “wrongheaded” belief that schools should stress career development

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the authors was to find out at what stage of life individuals normally develop self-direction and a career identity. They wanted to question the widespread assumption that school age is the best time.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper was an original piece of research based on a review of evidence from psychology and neuroscience. The author then proposes an alternative approach based on cybernetic theories.

Findings

Having reviewed various psychological theories from writers such Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, as Daniel Kahneman, the author concluded that adolescence was the wrong time as a sense of identity was still in a state of flux. The author believes that Perceptual Control Theory (PCT) gives a better understanding of career progression.

Originality/value

The findings are important as they show how important it is to relieve the pressure that is placed on young people to make career decisions by politicians, teachers and parents. The author says schools should not try to help young people to “discover who they are” in any absolute sense as there is a high risk of coming to misleading conclusions.

Citation

(2020), "Research says “wrongheaded” belief that schools should stress career development", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 28 No. 7, pp. 31-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/HRMID-06-2020-0147