Career Choice and Development

2.Convergence,which involves the development of a common

language

3.Bridging,which involves recognizing communalities among

existing theories and developing a common set of constructs

built around the common language that has developed

4.Integration, which involves the actual development of a single

theoretical perspective

Patton and McMahon admit that, to this point at least, no
overarching framework has developed. They offer systems theory as
the potential integrative framework for career development theory.
However, the crux of the convergence issue once again raises its
head when the authors consider systems theory. The following pas-
sage from their work is illustrative:

In contrast to logical positivist models the systems worldview

values the whole, a system that is more than the sum of its

parts. Rather than focus on cause and effect between parts,

it views patterns of interrelationships as more important.

Progression within this pattern is not always linear; the com-

plexity of a system is far too great. Rather than assuming a

quantitative view of knowledge—that is knowing “more”—

it views knowing in a qualitative way. [p. 135]

Perhaps career development theorizing is in the midst of a par-
adigm shift from logical positivism to postmodernism, as suggested
by Savickas and Lent (1994) and Patton and McMahon (1999).
However, Lent and his associates suggest that their social cognitive
theory is a bridging theory; that may be the case. However, adher-
ents of the theory continue to generate knowledge based on the
epistemology of logical positivism. It seems to me that most career
development theorists and practitioners are unready to jettison one
hundred years of thought and research because of criticism from
postmodern thinkers.

STATUS OF THEORIES OF CAREER CHOICE AND DEVELOPMENT 513