A mixed methods investigation exploring the influence of cognitive flexibility and gender stereotyping beliefs on the career aspirations of late adolescent students.

Abstract

Providing protective factors to not only support but limit negative influences is critical in this ever-changing world as students aspire to their future careers. The aim of this study is to expand our understanding of the career aspirations of late adolescents by exploring two cognitive processes: gender stereotyping beliefs and cognitive flexibility. The study used a mixed methods design to investigate 371 late adolescent students, in Bermuda, between the ages of 16 and 18 years. Surveys were used to examine the role cognitive flexibility and gender stereotyping beliefs play in students’ career aspirations. From a subset of the larger sample, semi-structured interviews (n = 18) provided a context for the experiences and perceptions of the students as they consider this critical juncture in their lives. The quantitative results revealed that higher cognitive flexibility is related to higher career aspirations. Further, participants who held more traditional male stereotyping beliefs are more likely to have higher career aspirations. In addition, a multiple regression analysis established that subscales of cognitive flexibility and a traditional male stereotype role could predict career aspirations. The qualitative interviews revealed a more complex understanding of how gender stereotyping beliefs and cognitive flexibility can influence career aspirations. The five themes to emerge were: flexibility and future success, awareness and influence of occupational stereotypes, internalised stereotypes, limiting beliefs and influence of others. These results offer an insight into the significant and unique, positive contribution cognitive flexibility plays on a student's career aspirations as well as the nuanced but powerful role gender stereotyping beliefs still play on students’ career aspirations. These findings offer protective factors educators and career counsellors can immediately consider when supporting students.

Date of Award	20 Jun 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Felicity Sedgewick (Supervisor), Ioanna Bakopoulou (Supervisor) & Philippa L Howard (Supervisor)