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Adolescents’ Conceptions of Work

What Is Learned From Different Sources During Anticipatory Socialization?

University of Tennessee

Cynthia A. Hoffner

Georgia State University

Anticipatory socialization is the process of gaining knowledge about work that begins in early childhood and continues until entering the workplace full-time. On self-administered questionnaires, 64 high school students answered open-ended questions about what they have learned about work from five sources: parents, educational institutions, part-time employment, friends, and the mass media. Responses were coded into four macro categories (general requirements of a job, positive aspects of work, negative aspects of work, advice or information about work/jobs), each of which included multiple subcategories. Parents, school, and part-time jobs were respondents’ main sources of knowledge about the requirements of performing a job, and parents provided the most advice about jobs and careers. Parents and friends communicated more negative than positive aspects, part-time jobs and the mass media conveyed both positives and negatives, and educational experiences conveyed neither. Interpretations of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Key Words: anticipatory socialization • sources of work knowledge • parental influence • mass media

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