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ED123364
ED123364
ED123364
CE 007 049
ED 123 364
ABSTRACT
Basic to Tiedeman's approach'to career development
and decision making is the assumption that one is responsible and
for
lives
one's own behavior because one has the capacity for choice
in a world which is not deterministic. Tiedeman, a
cognitive-developmeftal theotist,, views continuity of development as
sociological or'
internal or psychological while discontinuity. has a of society.
environmental basis caused by.the nature of the structure
instrumental cause behind one's behavior is
In Tiedeman's theory, an
theexperience or anticipation of discontinuity and discomfort which
precipitates purposeful action and decision making. Effective
control over
resolution of life's discontinuitie leads to increased
one's behavior, or a "sense of agency", and the eventual expression
of one's identity through a'' personally- determined career. In the
progresses through seven
process of making a decision, an individual (3) choice,
sequential stages: (1) exploration, (2) crystallization,
reformation, and (7)-
(4) clarification, (,5) induction, (6) intuitive,
integration. Decision-making styles may be: planning,
impulsive, agonizing, delaying, paralytic, .fatalistic, and compliant.
N,Planfing is viewed as the most effective style with intuitive
'
sometimes being effective. Another classification, reflecting various of
degrees of personal responsibility and individual utilization
plannin s tPgies, is: (1) planning, (2) intuitive, and
(3) t. (EA)
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,
EDUCATION & WELFARE
"Tiedeman's Approach to Ca eer' Development* NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF
EDUCATION
behavior because he has the capacity for choice and lives in a world which is
not deterministic. The role of educators and others in the helping professions
lives, and to
is to help people accept this responsibility, or owning of their
tii
their
develop their capacity for choice, thus achieving greater control over
improved.
is not solely an
At the outset, it should be stated that decision-making
is implicitly sensed
tacit knowing as one strives to make explicitly known what
While cognition and
or felt as the inner facts/data Of one's experiencing.
inherent in the
conscious volition are dominant in this process (and, indeed, are
functioning
term, itself) to deny the other components of men's psychological
emotion
is' to conceive of man as a bifurcated creature in which reason and
Operate independently.
place-it in
In order td understand the decision-making process, one must,
Havig-
mental theorist, whose work is consistent with that of Bruner, Piaget,
hurst., Erikson, and Allport. The major issue here is whether psychological
th6 nature of the structure of society. That is, life's discontinuities are
and social
imposed upon us as we find ourselves in relatively new .physical
environments. The child who must leave the known and protective environment
who finds
of the home to eht (Ir pre-school or kindergarten; the pre-adolescent
i
and teachers
himself in a homerOom part of the day, but with different peers
student, the worker
the rest of the day; the high school student, the college
Psychologically, the
beginning a new jqb; all, experience life's discontinuities.
self, based on
basis of stability or continuity is one's sense of identity or
sociologically, one is
the accumulated Meaning of one's past experience; while
environment, with
Confronted with discontinuity or change in one's situation or
discontinuity is
our rapidly charging environment, there is a sense in which
change, thus allowing for learning and modification of self in the context
finding oneself in a strange, new world, or by the anticipation that one will
decision - making. At the same time, there is a final cause in that there is a
of man's motivation, the means whereby one passes 'through life's discontinuities
state, both internally and in the situation. Then he considers what is "currently
these
possible goals emerge from the consideration of what is desired, and one of
is
goals is experienced as more valuable than the others, relative to what
attain this goal
currently desired.- The individual develops a plan of action to
and then implements, this plan. Finally, he compares his actual behavior with
his expected behavior in carrying out the plan. This feedback is used to consider.
4
4
purposeful
fosters the owning of responsibility for one's behavior and further
action.
Data/
is, the translation of data/facts'into personally significant meaning.
translation of
facts refers to both the environment and the self, and it is the
behavior.
these internally which personalizes experience and generates purposing
person's ability
A final requirement for effective purposeful action is the
hand, and tenta-
to maintain a delicate balance between commitment on the one
career."
whereby one's identity is expressed through a "personally-determined
the world is
An attitude of tentativeness results from the realization that
which are
relativistic, not absolute, and that the future holds contingencies
.-N Commitment with tentativeness
not alwayavredictable nor under one's control.
change in what is
thus enables one to risk decision and action, yet allows
action. Since
making process, which is the microscopic view of purpose ul
and written about, it will
this aspect of Tiedeman's theory is more well known
5
5
through seven sequential stages. The first four stages are anticipatory, or
during
preliminary to implementing a decision; whereas, the last three occur
These seven stages can be
the implementation, or living out of a decision.
described as follows:
1. Exploration
It is
This stage is marked by random, exploratory considerations.
concerns with little or no pro-
characterized by generalized, vague
occupational world
gress toward choice. Knowledge of self and the or plan-
is a felt peed, but the individual has developed no strategy ear
There is an absence or n
of action for satisfying this need.
possibilities).
absence of negative choices (exclusions from the range of
anxieties and doubts about the future.
This is accompanied by vague
2. Crystallizyltion
of choice.
This stag r2prsent§"progress toward, but not attainment and at least
The individual recognizes altenative possible choices
Conflicts are rec-
some of the consequences of these alternatives. and the bases for
ognized; advantages and disadvantages are weighed;
The process of
a decision are being developed; at least implicitly. choices is
narrowing down the range of possibilities through negative
earlier decisions are rec-
operating. False steps and inappropriate
ognized and used as bases for further decision .\.
3. Choice
degree of
This stage represents a definite commitment with some
certainty to a particular' goal. It is accompanied by expressions
commitment. The
of satisfaction and relief for having made the
individual may focus on aspects or characteristics of self which
appropriate decision. This
are evidence to him that he has made an
characteristic
stage further-represents a swing from the pessimism about the future.
of-the exploratory stage to,a kind of naive optimism
of purpose and an un-
The individual usually expresses a singleness
swerving attitude of goal direction, as well as eagerness and impatience
of the decision and
to reach the goal. Focus upon the consequences
further planniNg are not yet in evidence.
4. Clarifidation
the individual
This stage represents a process of closure in which consequences of
is involved in clarification and elaboration of the
6
5. Induction
6. Reformation
interaction is asser-
In this stage, the individual's primary mode of
tive, rather than passive or receptive. He is highly, involved in the
group in
group, enjoins the group to do better, and acts upon:the
conformance
order to bring its values, goals, and purposes into,greater
modified during
with his own values and goals (which have become somewhat
view
induction). He also acts upon the Out-group to bring their
with
of his identification with the in-!group into greater consistency
,self, Which is somewhat
his own view. There is a strong sense of
lacking in objectivity; At the same time, self'is abandoned to
is a modifi-
solution and group purpose. The result of this stage
cation of the group's values, goals, and purpOses.
7. Integration
member's
In this stage older group/members react against the new
compro4se or mod-
force for change, which causes the individual to
objectivity towards
ify his intentions. This results in a greater
self and towards the group's purposes. A synthesis is achieved
which both the individual and the group strive to maintain through
at least tem-
collaborative activity. The individual is satisfied,
the group
porarily, and he has an image of self as successful,. while
also considers him successful.
7
While the Tiedeman model assumes that all individuals pass through these
problem to be resolved. .
These are regarded as characteristic response modes and
effective.
I
described as follows:
Planning
Intuitie ,
accepts re-
As in the planning style, the intuitive decision-maker
sponsibility for his decision-making. The intuitive style, however,
the future, information-seeking behavior
involves little anticipation of
Rather it .Ls characterizedOpy the use
or logical weighing of factors.
self-
of fantasy, attention to present feelings, and an emotional
Commitment to a course of
awareness as the bases for decision- making.
"rightness"-is felt
action is reached relatively quickly, and its basic
state explicitly how he decided.
internally. Often the individual cannot
L-
8
. Dependent
is
Unlike the planning and intuitive styles, the dependent style
characterized by a denial of person'al responsibility for.decision-
making d a projection of that responsibility outside of self.
desires
The in vidual is heavily influenced-by-the expectations and
He tends to be passive and
author ties and peers have of him.
.
He perceives
,compliant, and to have a high need for social Opproval.
with limited alternatives available
the environment as restrictive,
immediate anxiety associated
to him. While this style may reduce the
likely to result, ultimately, in lack of
with decision-maXing, it is
fulfillment or personal satisfaction.
is, to
Although these stNg.5,are consid red to be characteristic, that
individuals differ
generalize across situations and problems, it is likely that
exclusion o;others.
with respect to their adherence to one style to the
components of
We have attempted to summarize in this paper the major
and in designing
the approach in conceptualizing student's career development
training in more
teaching students the decision-making process itself, of
decision-making styles.
effective decision-making, and of modifying
References