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Managing 8 Psychological Biases in Career Choices: A Guide for Teachers


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Shravan Shetty Career Coach Shravan Shetty is an Alumnus of Ohio University. He is an accomplished career coach and speaks extensively on employability skills, augmenting career competencies aligning to the future of work. He has designed, developed and deployed 3000 plus programs for educational institutions, Fortune 500 Companies as well as social sector organizations from Infosys, ITC, UNDP, UNICEF, United Nations to organizations such as TAPMI Business School, Monster Jobs Malaysia amongst others. Shravan is an accredited Career Coach from NCDA, USA. He holds credentials in Transactional Analysis, NLP amongst others. He has served as jury member for Entrepreneurial and leadership programs for young people from schools, B-Schools to Aspiring Entrepreneurs. In 2023, he was shortlisted amongst the Top 100 Future Leaders In 2023. He has addressed schools on careers and leadership across India & the Middle East. In 2024, he received the Thrive 2024 award for Social Impact. He runs a series of workshops titled ‘Career Compass’ for schools. Choosing a career is a significant decision for high school students, particularly those in the 10th and 12th grades. However, this decision-making process is often influenced by psychological biases that may limit students’ ability to explore their full potential. As teachers, you play a pivotal role in guiding students to make well-informed career choices. This article explores common psychological biases that impact career decisions and provides actionable advice to help students overcome these biases.

1. CONFIRMATION BIAS


What is it? Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out, interpret and remember information that confirms one’s pre-existing beliefs or preferences while ignoring contradictory evidence.


Example: A student who dreams of becoming a doctor might focus only on the prestige and salary associated with the profession, ignoring challenges like the long years of study, demanding work hours and high stress levels. They may dismiss suggestions to explore alternative careers better suited to their natural talents.


How Teachers Can Help:


  • Encourage Open Exploration: Create opportunities for students to learn about diverse career paths through guest speakers, career fairs and informational sessions.


  • Challenge Assumptions: Use probing questions to help students critically evaluate their career choices. For example, ask, “What do you know about the challenges in this profession?” or “Have you considered other options that match your skills?”

  • Provide Balanced Information: Share both the pros and cons of various careers to ensure students have a realistic understanding.

2. ANCHORING BIAS


What is it? Anchoring bias occurs when students rely too heavily on the first piece of information they encounter—the ‘anchor’—when making decisions.


Example: If a student hears that engineering is a high-paying profession from a family member, they may fixate on this idea and disregard other fields they might enjoy more, such as psychology or environmental science.


How Teachers Can Help:


  • Expose Students to Multiple Anchors: Share a wide range of career examples, especially those aligned with emerging industries or unconventional paths.


  • Teach Critical Thinking: Incorporate activities where students analyse data, trends and case studies about various careers to avoid over-relying on a single piece of information.

  • Use Career Assessment Tools: Guide students to take aptitude and interest tests, providing an objective basis for their choices.

3. SOCIAL PROOF BIAS What is it? Social proof bias refers to the tendency to follow the choices of peers or influential groups to fit in or gain approval. Example: A student might decide to take up commerce because most of their friends have chosen it, even though they have a natural aptitude for creative fields like writing or design. How Teachers Can Help:

  • Encourage Individuality: Reinforce the idea that each student’s journey is unique and emphasise the importance of choosing a path that aligns with their personal strengths and interests

  • Facilitate Peer Discussions: Organise small group discussions where students share their career aspirations, enabling them to hear diverse perspectives and reduce the ‘groupthink’ mentality.

  • Invite Role Models: Bring in alumni or professionals who have taken unconventional career paths to show students the value of pursuing their own interests.

4. STATUS QUO BIAS What is it? Status quo bias is the preference to stick with familiar or traditional choices rather than considering alternatives, even if the alternatives may be more rewarding. Example: A student may feel compelled to join the family business or pursue a profession like law or medicine, which is a family tradition, even if they are more passionate about careers in music or technology. How Teachers Can Help:

  • Promote Career Exploration: Encourage students to attend internships, workshops and shadowing programs in diverse fields to broaden their horizons.

  • Address Familial Pressures: If family influence is evident, involve parents in career counselling sessions to discuss the importance of aligning career choices with the student’s interests and abilities.

  • Provide Supportive Guidance: Help students weigh the pros and cons of sticking with tradition versus exploring new opportunities.

5. AVAILABILITY HEURISTIC/BIAS What is it? The availability heuristic/ bias is a mental shortcut where decisions are based on information that is most readily available or recent, rather than a comprehensive evaluation. Example: After watching a viral video about a tech entrepreneur’s success, a student might decide to pursue a career in technology, overlooking their lack of interest or aptitude for the field. How Teachers Can Help:

  • Highlight Diverse Success Stories: Share stories of success from a variety of fields to prevent students from fixating on a single example.

  • Encourage Research: Assign projects where students investigate careers in depth, including required skills, education paths and real-life challenges.

  • Promote Reflective Thinking: Help students connect their interests, values and strengths to potential careers rather than being swayed by trending topics.


6. OVERCONFIDENCE BIAS What is it? Overconfidence bias occurs when students overestimate their abilities or underestimate the challenges of a chosen career. Example: A student might believe they can easily become a professional athlete without understanding the years of rigorous training, discipline and competition required. How Teachers Can Help:


  • Provide Realistic Insights: Share statistics and information about the odds of success in highly competitive fields.

  • Promote Skill Development: Encourage students to develop skills and habits needed for their desired careers, such as discipline, resilience and adaptability.

  • Offer Constructive Feedback: Help students identify areas where they need improvement to achieve their goals.

7. RECENCY BIAS What is it? Recency bias is the tendency to give disproportionate weight to recent experiences or events when making decisions. Example: After attending a career talk by a software engineer, a student may decide to pursue software engineering without considering their existing interest in art or design. How Teachers Can Help:

  • Provide a Balanced View: Ensure students are exposed to a variety of careers over time, rather than focusing on the most recent influence.

  • Encourage Long-Term Thinking: Help students consider how their interests and strengths will align with their chosen career in the long run.

  • Revisit Career Goals Regularly: Create opportunities for students to reassess their goals periodically.

8. STEREOTYPING BIAS What is it? Stereotyping bias involves making generalised assumptions about careers based on societal or cultural perceptions. Example: A student might believe that engineering is only for boys or that nursing is a career meant for girls, leading to self-imposed limitations. How Teachers Can Help:

  • Break Stereotypes: Use examples of individuals who have succeeded in fields traditionally dominated by the opposite gender or who don’t come from privilege.

  • Promote Inclusivity: Foster an environment where all career choices are seen as equally valid, regardless of gender or societal norms.

  • Challenge Assumptions: Encourage students to question stereotypes and explore careers based on their interests and skills.

Conclusion Psychological biases can significantly impact students’ career decisions, often leading them to make choices that are not aligned with their true potential. As educators, your role is crucial in helping students identify and overcome these biases. By fostering critical thinking, promoting self-awareness and providing diverse opportunities for exploration, you can empower students to make informed and fulfilling career choices. Remember, the goal is not to choose a career for them, but to equip them with the tools to choose wisely for themselves.


 
 
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