We have been speaking at length about vocational identity and the various processes that contribute to its development.\u00a0 Last time John pointed out that in the development of concepts related to self and occupations, there are two processes that are essential: integration and differentiation. Through the process of integration a person learns to put concepts about the world of work together, like using tools and building things, to build a more complex unit such as carpenter. \u00a0In this example subordinate concepts are integrated into a superordinate concept. With differentiation, the second process, the person separates general (superordinate) concepts into specific meaning (subordinate concepts), such as the difference between a general contractor and a cabinetmaker. Such differentiation allows people to experience one situation or occupation as different from another.<\/p>\n
John also made reference to Erikson\u2019s fifth stage of psychosocial development, the stage where identity is formalized.\u00a0 Erikson came to see this stage as having two distinct steps.\u00a0 The first step, usually typical of older adolescents and young teens, involves the development of identity by similarities.\u00a0 The individual\u2019s sense of identity at this step is based on how closely he or she fit or are similar to an identifiable group.\u00a0 In the schoolyard this is evident when one sees groups of students dressed similarly, listening to the same music and expressing the same interests.\u00a0 Identity is achieved by integrating one\u2019s self with the group.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In the later teen years and early adulthood, the sense of identity is increasingly based on how one sees him or her self as different from the other people in the group. This becomes evident in the need to have clothes that others aren\u2019t already wearing, to listen to music that is new and fresh and to establish one\u2019s self as having unique interests and experiences.\u00a0 As one becomes cognizant and accepting of these similarities, and then differences, the sense of identity and related self-concepts becomes increasingly crystallized (meaning the degree of clarity and certainty of the various constructs bearing on the self-concept).<\/p>\n
In terms of vocations, differentiation can be defined as the number of different dimensions of judgment one has in relation to any one occupation. Research comparing experts and novices on information processing tasks have found experts to be superior in their ability to develop detailed representations of phenomena. \u00a0To some degree this is a result of their ability to recall information from a well-stocked memory quickly, but more importantly they are better able to resolve perceived discrepancies between information that is similar to the phenomena and that which is different.<\/p>\n
Direct experience, in the form of practical work experiences, demonstrates the role of differentiation and integration and has been shown to increase vocational self-concept crystallization.\u00a0 Because experience allows young people to test the \u201cfit\u201d (looking for points of integration and differentiation) between their abilities, interests, values and satisfaction with a chosen work environment, they demonstrate a great opportunity for vocational self-concept crystallization and increased work commitment.<\/p>\n
By:\u00a0Jeff Landine and John Stewart<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We have been speaking at length about vocational identity and the various processes that contribute to its development.\u00a0 Last time John pointed out that in the development of concepts related to self and occupations, there are two processes that are essential: integration and differentiation. Through the process of integration a person learns to put concepts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1001010,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[248],"class_list":["post-5398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-careercounselling","tag-john-stewart"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n