Mario, Joshua (2021) Cognitive Flexibility and Job Search Self Efficacy: The Mediating Influence of Conscientiousness. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
The continuing COVID-19 pandemic, and its damaging impact to the labour market, has forced individuals to adopt a more proactive and engaged approach with their careers. Obtaining employment provides a whole host of benefits, however there are unique challenges to attaining a job now and a failure to do so can have a harmful effect to an individual and society. Using the Social Cognitive Career Theory Career Self-Management (CSM) model, this study investigated whether Trait Conscientiousness mediated a relationship between Cognitive Flexibility and Job Search Self-Efficacy-Behaviour (JSSEB). A sample of 156 adults were engaged to participate in the study. Participants filled out a battery of tests including the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Big Five InventoryVersion 2- Extra Short Form (BFI-2-XS), and the Job Search Self Efficacy Scale (JSSES). The quantitative data were collected between June and July 2021 with a goal to confirm the CSM model and discover any associations between the measures of Conscientiousness, Cognitive Flexibility and JSSE. Contrary to theoretical expectations, a positive significant relationship was only found between Conscientiousness and JSSE-B (B = 0.79, SE = 0.23, p = .005). Due to the variation in results, it is recommended that future data be collected in one location, on one tablet device, and by one administrator. The WCST is also recommended to be administered prior to the TMT to moderate the impacts of a phenomenon known as the Speed Accuracy Tradeoff (SAT). Implications and other possible explanations for the findings are discussed.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
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| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Gavin Beccaria |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 30 Jul 2025 23:57 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Jul 2025 23:57 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | conscientiousness ; job search self-efficacy ; cognitive Flexibility ; CSM |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52535 |
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