Reinvigorating the Study of Vocational Exploration: A Framework for Research

This article presents a conceptual infrastructure for the reinvigoration of the study of vocational exploration. We propose that perspectives derived from the ego-identity and human motivation literatures as well as an explicit consideration of relevant sociocultural and historical contexts can significantly enhance the study of exploration. By developing a framework based on these four perspectives, we describe heuristic new directions for inquiry in vocational exploration research, with a particular emphasis on the means by which individuals can internalize exploratory attitudes and activities. The article concludes with illustrative research questions derived from our review, recommendations for further inquiry, and methodological approaches that would facilitate an enhanced understanding of the vocational exploration process.