How and to what extent are my educational and career plans a reflection of my own identity?

Introduction
In this assignment, we will use social scientific theories to explore the ways in which our own identity shapes our educational and career plans. We will focus in particular on what educational psychologist Jacquelynne Eccles calls “subjective task values” as a source of motivation in career choices. According to Eccles, an individual’s motivation to engage in the tasks and activities necessary to reach a potential career are shaped by:
“Intrinsic interest in, and enjoyment of, the task”
“the utility of the task in facilitating one’s long range goals or in helping the individual obtaining immediate or long-range external rewards”
“attainment value or the value an activity has because engaging in it is consistent with one’s self-image and personal and collective/social identities”
“the cost of engaging in the activity in terms of financial and emotional costs, as well as in terms of the potential meaning of the behavior for either disconforming a salient personal or collective identity or preventing one from engaging in other behaviors that are key to confirming a salient personal or collective identity”[1]
[1] Jacquelynne Eccles “Who Am I and What Am I Going to Do With My Life? Personal and Collective Identities as Motivators of Action,” Educational Psychologist (2009), 82.
In this short essay of 1000-1250 words, you will identify and explain how your own educational and career goals are shaped by subjective task values and elements of your own identity. Your essay should include a thesis statement (Links to an external site.) addressing the following research question:
How and to what extent are my educational and career plans a reflection of my own identity?
Sources for this essay include:
Your previous assignments (Identity Wheel exercise, Career-Major Portfolio, Interview Write-Up, and Opportunity Atlas Analysis).
Jacquelynne Eccles’s article, “Who Am I and What Am I Going to Do With My Life? Personal and Collective Identities as Motivators of Action,” Educational Psychologist (2009).
At least one additional academic journal article or book chapter on a subject relevant to one or more aspects of your identity or career path. For example, if you identify as an African-American woman, you may wish to select an article from an economics journal on the wage gap that black women face in the workforce or a chapter from a history book on African American women’s vital role as grassroots organizers during the civil rights era.
Tasks
Review your previous assignments (Identity Wheel exercise, Career-Major Portfolio, Interview Write-Up, and Opportunity Atlas Analysis) to reflect on your own identity and educational/career goals.
Read Jacquelynne Eccles “Who Am I and What Am I Going to Do With My Life? Personal and Collective Identities as Motivators of Action,” Educational Psychologist (2009) Download Jacquelynne Eccles “Who Am I and What Am I Going to Do With My Life? Personal and Collective Identities as Motivators of Action,” Educational Psychologist (2009)taking careful notes on her key arguments, research methods, data analysis, and conclusions. You may wish to use the Article Analysis worksheet to organize your notes. How do Eccles’ key arguments and concepts, particularly the discussion of “subjective task values” outlined above, help explain the relationship between your career/ educational goals and identity?
Gather and read your other academic sources, taking careful notes on each author’s key arguments, research methods, data analysis, and conclusions. You may wish to use the Article Analysis worksheet to organize your notes. What do these sources tell you about the relationship between your career/ educational goals and identity?
Outline your essay (Links to an external site.), including your introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Write your essay of 1000-1250 words. The paper must be double-spaced, in 12 point font, with 1-inch margins on all sides, and include in-text citations and a bibliography in APA style, the citation style most commonly used in the social and behavioral sciences.

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