shape self-efficacy and outcome expectations. At the same time, as
is also depicted in Figure 7.2, gender and cultural factors are inti-
mately linked to the opportunity structure or environmental con-
text within which career goals are framed and implemented. We
will consider this important opportunity structure linkage within
the context of SCCT’s model of career choice behavior in the next
section.
Recent research in the area of behavior genetics points to the
likely influence of heredity on certain career-related variables such
as vocational interests (see Swanson & Gore, 2000). Our frame-
work acknowledges that basic abilities (such as spatial visualization
or perceptual speed), affective dispositions, and personality dimen-
sions (such as extraversion) have genetic linkages. However, SCCT
also emphasizes the interaction of aptitudes and other heritable fac-
tors with environmental and self-directed processes in ways that
help to cultivate or limit career options. Figure 7.2 traces the hypo-
thetical path between heritable factors such as primary abilities
(included under “person inputs”) and career interest and other out-
comes. As in its analysis of gender and ethnicity effects, SCCT’s
conception of inherited qualities draws special attention to the
interplay between learning opportunities and person factors.
It is doubtful that either mathematicians or professional basket-
ball players would be able to attain their occupational status based
on genetic endowment alone. Environments provide essential ingre-
dients such as supports, barriers, and special resources (for example,
books and basketballs) that modulate the expression of inherited
qualities. Basic social cognitive and behavior genetic processes (for
instance, goal setting, activity practice, selective exposure, and re-
inforcement) help to transform native aptitudes. Thus, instead of
having a preordained, fully determined impact on the careers peo-
ple might have in the future, the effect of heritable aptitude on
career interest and behavior is seen as operating largely through
interveninglearning experiencesthat both refine abilities and shape
self-efficacy and outcome expectations.
SOCIAL COGNITIVE CAREER THEORY 271