Self-efficacy and behavioral intention: A mediational analysis of the effects of commitment on career counseling

• Published in: European journal of psychology of education 2004-09, Vol.19 (3), p.315-332
• Main Authors: Guillon, Vincent, Dosnon, Odile, Esteve, Marie-Dominique, Gosling, Patrick
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic advising; Banduras; Behavior modeling; Career Choice; Career Counseling; Cognitive psychology; Instructional Effectiveness; Intention; Intervention; Modeling; Psychological counseling; Questionnaires; Secondary School Students; Secondary Schools; Self Efficacy; Social learning theory; Social psychology; Student Attitudes; Theories
• ISSN: 0256-2928; 1878-5174
• DOI: 10.1007/BF03173226

This article examines two questions of research. Can we make educational and vocational information sessions effective by applying commitment theory (Kiesler, 1971) to this particular aspect of career counseling? Does commitment as part of an initial low-cost behavior (taking part in an information session) have a direct effect or is the effect a mediate one? Data gathered during an experiment involving six sixth-year secondary school classes would appear to suggest that there is a mediate process. To be more precise, the accepted impact of commitment upon the effectiveness of information sessions (post-session information and orientation is more actively sought) would seem to be linked to its mediation by perceived self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997/2003) in orientation. On the other hand, it is not mediated by the behavioral intention (Fishbein, 1980) to take such steps, this being an intention upon which commitment has no effect. The discussion links these results to some of Kiesler's initial questions (commitment as a process of internal self-attribution), and also places them within the framework (proper to counseling) of factors common to all intervention theories and techniques designed to explain the effectiveness of said interventions. Cet article croise deux problématiques de recherche. Peut-on rendre efficaces les séances d'information scolaire et professionnelle en appliquant la théorie de l'engagement (Kiesler, 1971) à cette situation particulière de counseling de carrière? L'engagement dans un premier comportement peu coûteux (la participation à une séance d'information) agit-il directement ou bien son effet est-il médiatisé? Les données recueillies dans le cadre d'une expérimentation concernant six classes de lycéens de première de l'enseignement général incitent à conclure à l'existence d'un processus médiateur. Plus précisément, l'impact avéré de l'engagement sur l'efficacité des séances d'information (démarches plus actives d'information et d'orientation post séance) apparaît lié à sa médiation par le sentiment d'efficacité personnelle (Bandura, 1997/2003) en orientation. Il n'est pas médiatisé, par contre, par l'intention comportementale (Fishbein, 1980) d'effectuer de telles démarches, une intention sur laquelle l'engagement n'a pas d'effet. La discussion relie ces résultats à certains des questionnements initiaux de Kiesler (l'engagement comme processus d'auto-attribution interne). Elle les resitue également dans le cadre, propre au counseli