Which theorists are associated with Developmental Theories of career development?

• A. Trait and Trait Factor Theories
• B. Social-Cognitive Theory
• C. Developmental Theories
• D. REBT Principles

Answer: (C)

Developmental theories of career development focus on how a person’s career path unfolds over time, shaped by changes in self-concept, roles, and opportunities as they move through different life stages. This perspective looks at growth, exploration, and adaptation across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, rather than treating career choice as a one-time decision based on fixed traits. Theorists in this tradition, such as Donald Super with his Life-Span, Life-Space framework and Gottfredson’s ideas about circumscription and compromise, emphasize how self-understanding and social context evolve and guide vocational decisions across the years. Because the other options emphasize static traits, cognitive expectancies, or therapeutic principles rather than a developmental progression of careers, the developmental theories category best captures the theorists linked to this approach.