Stability of Career Aspirations: A Longitudinal Test of Gottfredson’s Theory

Abstract

Gottfredson’s theory of the career compromise process was evaluated using a longitudinal data set of 2,353 female and 321 male students recruited for Zuckerman’s Seven College Study, who reported their career aspirations twice over a 1-year period. Expressed career aspirations were coded on the dimensions of sex type, prestige, and the interest-based Things/People and Data/Ideas dimensions. Stability of aspirations over an 1-year period were analyzed using partial correlation analyses to control for the nonindependence of measures. Discrepancies between current and idealized career aspirations were also examined using the same methods. Contrary to predictions based on Gottfredson’s theory, student career aspirations were more stable along the prestige and Things/People dimensions than on the sex type dimension. Implications for theory, research, and career counseling practice are discussed.