1 minute read
Influences Around Me
We are surrounded by so many infl uences: friends, family, educators, the media, social media, the economy and even where we live!
It can be benefi cial to think about the infl uences around you, especially when you are in the process of making important decisions about what to study at Higher Level.
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Wishful thinking
How much of your decisions are based on what you hope the job will be like rather than a real understanding?
Bandwagon effect
How much of your thoughts about what courses and careers are appropriate, come from other people’s opinions (family, friends, classmates)? Are you putting too much emphasis on what others say?
Are you relying too much on using only one factor to evaluate career options (e.g. money, use of languages, Leaving Cert points)? To what extent are you undervaluing other factors that might lead to job satisfaction because you are focusing on one or two narrow factors?
Focusing effect STEREOTYPING
MERE EXPOSURE EFFECT
Are you judging the attractiveness of certain careers based on limited information and a lot of assumptions?
Are you just considering course and career options that you’ve happened to hear a lot about, rather than trying to uncover other ideas? Are you drawn towards or put off particular courses and careers because family, friends or teachers have suggested negative things about them?
Are you giving too much weight to an option because you like or respect the person who told you about it? AUTHORITY BIAS
Adapted from David Winter’s Confused Career Thinking https://careersintheory.fi les.wordpress.com/2009/10/ confusedcareerthinking1.pdf
