Abstract
The purposes of the present study were to investigate the motivation for “searching for something to commit to” within career choices, and to examine the link between the self-determination level of such motivation and career indecision. Base on self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), a scale to measure motivation for “searching for something to commit to” within career choices was constructed, and its reliability and validity were examined. A survey was administered to 399 university students. Factor analysis identified 3 factors or subscales:“self-fulfillment orientation”,“social position orientation”, and “following others”. These factors differed as to the level of self-determination. The reliability and validity of the scale were confirmed. Using cluster analysis and ANOVA, the relation between self-determination level as measured by the scale and career indecision was examined. The results indicated that the absence of self-determined motivation to “search for something to commit to” could lead to career indecision. It was suggested that a sense of self-determination in “searching for something to commit to” could be linked to adaptation for career choices.
