The Executive Processing Domain
There is yet a set of higher-order cognitive functions that is required
to monitor, guide, and regulate lower-order functions of the pyramid,
namely, the acquisition, storage, and retrieval of information, as well
as to execute cognitive strategies to solve a problem (Belmont &
Butterfield, 1977). We refer to this domain of regulatory and in-
tegrative processes as the executive processing domain. The skills
of this domain are referred to as metacognitions (Flavell, 1979;
Meichenbaum, 1977). The principal metacognitions comprising the
domain include (1) self-talk, (2) self-awareness, and (3) monitoring
and controlling.
Self-Talk. To become independent and responsible problem solvers,
individuals must also become their own best friends as problem
solvers. Individuals who use and believe in positive self-talk such as,
“I can learn to be a good career problem solver” or “I know I can
trust that my career decision will be the right one for me,” will
approach the task of career problem solving and decision making
much differently than individuals who uses negative self-talk such
as, “I’ve tried to find a good occupation many times before, but I
can’t ever arrive at good decisions,” or “People, like counselors or
teachers, are better suited to solve my career problems than me.”
Negative self-talk is often associated with chronic indecisiveness
(Hartman, Fuqua, & Blum, 1985), whereas positive self-talk not
only creates positive expectations (Bandura, 1977, 1982) but rein-
forces effective problem-solving behavior as well.
Self-Awareness. One of the characteristics of competent perfor-
mance is the capability of maintaining an awareness of oneself as a
performer of the task (Brown, 1981; Kahnaman, 1973; Peterson &
Swain, 1978). Self-awareness enables a problem solver to recognize
such executive processes as the existence of debilitating negative
self-talk, the need for more self or occupational information, one’s
place in the problem-solving process, or the concurrent affective
A COGNITIVE INFORMATION PROCESSING APPROACH 327