Life-Span Theory

Paper Summary:

The Life-Span Theory of career development, developed by D.E. Super in 1953, is a highly useful tool for understanding career choice and development across the lifespan. This paper begins by providing a summary of the theory and then looks at literature written about this theory, which presents its strengths and weaknesses.

From the Paper:

"A number of key figures helped to shape Super's Life-Span theory of career development. These included Hull, Thorndike, and Bandura, who helped to shape the major focus of the theory toward an understanding of the distinct life roles of the individual, and that personality and interests could change across the life span, rather than just the first few decades of life (Super, Savickas, and Super, 1996). The basic assumption that underlies Super's theory is that individuals change as they mature. Further, Super's theory is built on an understanding of self concept, which "develops through physical and mental growth, observations of work, identification with working adults, general environment, and general experiences" (Zunker, p. 30)."

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