MLA Citation:
WORKMAN, JAMIE L. "Parental Influence On Exploratory Students' College Choice, Major, And Career Decision Making." College Student Journal 49.1 (2015): 23-30. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.
This article was written by Jamie Workman in 2015 and published in the College Student Journal. Workman examined a first year living learning community and incorporated Schlossberg’s transition theory, which discusses transition in terms of four S ’s: situation, self, strategies and support, in the context of freshman college students' transition into college. Workman came to the conclusion that parental influence is a key theme in college students' decision making.
About the Author:
Jamie Workman is an assistant professor at the University of Northern Iowa. She has a bachelor's in education, a master's degree in student administration, and a Phd. in Higher Education. Workman also worked as a director of residence life at Miami University.
Key Terms:
Strategies refer to ways in which individuals cope with the transition.
Support refers to people, organizations, or institutions the person turns to for help with the transition
Quotes:
"As mentioned, several of the students saw their parents as being positive influences in their major and career decision making processes. Laura described her family as the: ...most influential people in your life and they’re the ones that you look up to and respect their advice. It’s important that you have those people in your life to weigh things off of and that they’re going to give you a nonbiased opinion."(page 3)
"Some students feel an obligation to pursue the career paths of their parents or other family members, while others are completely disconnected from their family. " (page 7)
"It could be assumed that students who go against their parent wishes regarding major and career exploration would be at higher developmental levels than those who simply choose based on what their parents believe to be best. "
Value: This article provides strong evidence that your family background has a significant influence in your major choice.
Very interesting research. I wonder if students are more "in dialogue" with parental influence than willing to conform to it. And if parental purse strings have an influence. The "dialogic" view of the "authentic" self is an idea of Charles Taylor's, which he develops most succinctly in Chapter 4 of his book The Ethics of Authenticity titled "Inescapable Horizons." I recommend you read it.
ReplyDelete