Department

Psychology, Professional

Date

Summer 8-15-2022

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

Type of Paper/Work

Dissertation

Advisor

Bryana French

Second Advisor

Salina Renninger

Third Advisor

Alex Ajayi

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the role social media plays on career development. This study aims to answer how social media impacts career decision making for youth born between 1996-2003, also identified as Generation Z, Gen Z, or Gen Zers. Specifically, I sought to examine how social media influencers influence young adults career choices. The results from this study suggest that social media influencers did not have a significant role in career development for the study participants. Participants drew attention to personal value systems that impacted their career development. They also identified how social reinforcements or cultural values impacted their career development. Additionally, the results did not indicate that racial differences or recent global stressors such as Covid-19 and racial uprisings significantly impacted career development for participants. Participants identified that they would be willing to tolerate traditional careers in the short term so that in the long term they could fully participate in personal interests. Implications for practice includes mental health providers implementing social media and its potential impact on career development into individual treatment plans. To conclude, further research is needed to fully understand the impact of social media influencers on career development.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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