Steer, Vikki Ruth (2021) Examining the Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility in the Relationship Between Openness to Experience and Job Search Self-Efficacy. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Job search is an experience that most people must face at least once in their lifetime. Whether the individual’s intention is to find their first job or make a career change, or perhaps attempting to enter the labour market after having been laid off, the process can be frustrating, lengthy, and extremely competitive. With job search being arduous and a challenging experience, psychologists have attempted to conceptualise and understand the factors that can either facilitate or inhibit job search behaviour and outcome. Studies that have drawn on the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) have reported the predictive influence of personality traits such as openness to experience on job search self-efficacy. However, the evidence linking the construct of cognitive flexibility to job search self-efficacy within the context of the SCCT is limited. This study, therefore, primarily examined the mediating role of cognitive flexibility on the relationship between openness to experience and job search self-efficacy using a convenience sample of 153 adults. With the extant literature indicating the role of demographic variables in psychological research, an additional aim of this study was to examine whether participants’ age moderated the influence of openness to experience and cognitive flexibility on job search self-efficacy. Results from path analysis indicated that openness to experience significantly predicted job search self-efficacy, but not in the expected direction. Cognitive flexibility did not relate to both openness to experience and job search self-efficacy. Age also did not moderate these relationships as anticipated. Practical, theoretical and methodological implications of these findings, and limitations are discussed.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| 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: | 03 Aug 2025 23:50 |
| Last Modified: | 03 Aug 2025 23:50 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | openness to experience ; self-efficacy ; cognitive flexibility ; job search behaviour and outcome ; social cognitive career theory |
| 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/52784 |
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