THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CAREERS

This book supplants the author's earlier book The Dynamics of Vocational Adjustment. Mr. Super has incorporated the conceptual and experimental developments that have taken place in sociology and psychology in the last fifteen years. The job is examined in several aspects:- a measure of social prestige, a means of assured livelihood and an activity which may or may not fulfill the needs and exploit the abilities of the individual. The factors which are deterministic in shaping a career include not only aptitudes and interests but economic conditions and value systems of the particular subculture -- even chance is operative. Thus the guidance counselor to be successful must have a first- hand knowledge of all the variables plus the ability to select and synthesize those which are the most significant. Life ""themes"" or general directions which in the past the individual has been prone to follow are sometimes clues for job selection. Certain tests may be considered. Past performance in school may also be a useful index. The role of the job counselor is to see the relationships of all these data.