The Career Development Influence of Family of Origin

Abstract

Family of origin is probably the single most potent determinant of career development and one means by which the sociopolitical salience of race and class are translated into individualcareer trajectories, perhaps most significantly for those of racial/ethnicgroup minorities. However, Whiston and Keller’s critical analysis reveals that scholars have paid little attention to the relation between race/ethnic group membership and key family influencevariables.Inaddition, althoughsocioeconomicclass hasbeen shownto beparticularly influential, a readingof that analysis suggests questions aboutwhether the most important family of origin variables have been investigated. In this article, the author identifies family variables and correlates of likely importance in understanding the career development of persons from diverse racial/ethnic group minorities and diverse social strata. Future scholarship might be advanced by considering race and class in an integrated and psychologically relevant framework.