Cognitive Flexibility and Positivity as Predictors of Career Future in University Students

Year 2020, Volume: 10 Issue: 57, 297 - 320, 19.06.2020

Elvan Yıldız-akyol , Mehmet Boyacı

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine whether the career future of university students can be predicted significantly by cognitive flexibility and positivity. The study designed for this purpose consists of 401 participants (290 female, 111 male) who attended two different universities in Ankara and Istanbul. The data of this research were collected by using Turkish adaptation of the "Career Futures Scale (CFS)", "Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI)", and "Positivity Scale (PS)". Besides these, a personal information form was used for collecting various demographic variables. The findings of this research demonstrated that there is a positive and significant relationship between career future, cognitive flexibility, and positivity. As a result of the analyses conducted in order to test the predictability of the career future by cognitive flexibility and positivity, they were found to be a significant predictor of the career future of university students (R2 = .48, p < .01). In addition to these findings, fourth-year students' career future scores were found to be significantly higher than the second and third grade students. Moreover, the career future scores of students who voluntarily selected their major of study were significantly higher than those who unwillingly chose it.

Keywords

Career future, cognitive flexibility, positivity, career counseling, career adaptability

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