PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S THESIS ABSTRACT

Ata Karim

Industrial/Organizational
August 1991

Cultural Variables in Career Choices
 

    The purpose of this cross-cultural study was to examine the relationship of family pressure, peer pressure, cultural pressure and vocational interest and career choice of white American and foreign Asian (Pakistan, India and the Middle East) male engineering majors.  Comparisons were sought among the two sample populations on the above-mentioned variables.  Three hypotheses were proposed.  Hypothesis one postulated that American students were influenced more by peer pressure than family pressure in career choice.  The second hypothesis stated that foreign students were influenced more by family pressure than peer pressure in career choice.  The third and last hypothesis stated that American students were influenced more by vocational interest than foreign students in career choice.

    A self-report social Influence Survey was administered to 100 junior students studying engineering at California State University, Long Beach.  Fifty students were American and the other 50 were foreign students.  The survey attempted to measure the influence level of the family, peers, culture and vocational interest on the career choice of the students.
    Support of hypothesis two suggested that, for the foreign students, the family exerts a significantly stronger influence on the career choice than do peers.  The first and third hypotheses were not supported.

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