Metarefl ection on decisions concerning career choice

In the article, the author presents the main theses of his Psychologia dążeń I skłonności zawodowych (Psychology of Vocational Strivings and Inclinations, Jarosiewicz, 2012). Empirically grounded, the study draws on career counselling practice, in particular on the provision of career diagnosis on the basis of multiplechoice tests (Achtnich, 2010). Analysing the assumptions behind such qualitative techniques, the author comes to distinguish the phenomenon of choice as such within a wider group of decision-making processes. He defi nes “choice” as settling on the object of wanting. Choice-making is informed by a person’s prior experiences and desires crystallized as strivings. A person tends to choose what s/he fi nds personally suitable, because the role of choice consists in subjective directing of one’s activity, that is in self-directing. The author contrasts the subjectivity of choices with the objectivity of decisions, and even with their objectivism in their role of directing things.