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The Power of Perceived Experience: Events That Shape Work as a Calling
Author(s) -
HaneyLoehlein Deanna M.,
McKenna Robert B.,
Robie Caitlin,
Austin Kramer,
Ecker Diana
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the career development quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.846
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 2161-0045
pISSN - 0889-4019
DOI - 10.1002/j.2161-0045.2015.00092.x
Subject(s) - perception , meaning (existential) , event (particle physics) , social psychology , psychology , context (archaeology) , power (physics) , affect (linguistics) , work (physics) , communication , history , mechanical engineering , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering , archaeology , neuroscience , psychotherapist
Meaning plays an important role in many people's lives and work. A significant source of meaning derives from a greater sense of fulfilling one's calling, or purpose in work. This study examined the specific life experiences that shape people's perceptions of their calling and the characteristics of those experiences that make them so powerful. Fifty‐eight people who self‐identified as leaders responded to a questionnaire about the relevant experiences that shaped their perceptions of their work as a calling. Participants' responses were content‐analyzed to generate a taxonomy of themes in 4 overarching categories: (a) content of the event, (b) context of the event, (c) confirmation of one's call, and (d) the continuing effect that the event has had on the individual's life. By increasing knowledge about events that affect perceptions about one's calling, counselors may be more equipped to shed light on the potential, unexamined trajectories of a client's work and life.