LIFE SPAN/

LIFE SPACE
THEORY
Donald Super
SUPER’S THEORY
• Donald Super created a developmental model which emphasized
how personal experiences interact with occupational preferences in
creating one’s self-concept.

• Super’s emphasis on the importance of developing a self-concept,

as well his recognition that this self-concept can change with new
experiences overtime.
 Definition according to Super
CAREER

- is the combination of life roles being

played at any given point across the life.
span.
 Career Patterns

• Determined by:

Socioeconomic factors
Mental and physical abilities
Personal characteristics
Opportunities of exposure
Major Concepts:
• SELF-CONCEPT
Formation of Self-concept

Influenced by:
Major Concepts:

• DEVELOPMENT OF CAREER MATURITY

• VOCATIONAL STAGES

• LIFE ROLES AND DEVELOPMENT TASKS

 Five Major Life Stages
Stages Age Characteristics
Growth birth – 14 Development of self-concept, attitudes, needs and
general world of work
Exploration 15 – 24 “Trying out” through classes, work, hobbies

Establishment 25 – 44 Entry-level skill building and stabilization

Maintenance 45 – 64 Continual adjustment process to improve position

Decline 65+ Reduced output, prepare for retirement

The Life Career Rainbow
Eight Life Roles
1. Child – time and energy spent in relating to parents
2.Student- time and energy spent in learning & acquiring skills
3.Leisurite – the role of being engaged in leisure activities
4.Citizen - time & energy spent in volunteer activities in the
community.
5.Worker – including ‘non-worker’, volunteer or unemployed
6.Parent - time & energy spent in rearing children
7.Spouse - time end energy spent in cultivating & maintaining a
relationship with a partner
8.Home maker - time & energy spent in preparing food, cleaning
and all other activities
Nature of Life Roles
• Roles change in bandwidth and intensity over the life span
• Roles inevitable interact with each other and affect each other
• Interests, skills and values can be assigned to a variety of life
roles
• Playing many roles may enhance life satisfaction for some
people and for others that can lead to an overwhelming
feeling.
Implications to Counseling
• Super argues that ‘decision points’ occur before and when taking
up a new role, when giving up an old role and when making
significant changes in the nature of an existing role (Super, 1980,
p. 291).

• Life-career rainbow has 2 major uses:

1. Teaching the concept of life-career helps individuals see the
interactive nature of the variety of roles constituting a career
2. An aid to practice helping clients