Possible selves, in vocational psychology dictionary

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Dictionary of Vocational Psychology

Possible Occupational Selves

Markus and Nurius (1986) proposed that individuals devote considerable imaginative thinking to construct and elaborate the characteristics of possible selves. Such possible selves might exist in either the past or future, and might relate to any of a number of life roles. Presumably, well-elaborated possible selves allow individuals to better understand and reconcile themselves to their past experiences and to better anticipate and plan for their future ones. Carson, Madison, and Santrock (1987) and Meara, Day, and Chalk (1995) were the first vocational psychologists to apply the construct to research in in the field. Robinson and Davis (2001) recently examined possible occupational selves of low-income women.

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