From page to profession: how fiction shapes career aspirations in young readers

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of literary narratives on career aspirations among a group of young readers in the age range of 15-25. Employing a qualitative research design that used survey responses and semi-structured in-depth interviews with 36 participants in an Indian setting, the research found direct and indirect influences of literary preferences on career aspirations. It was found that 58.3% of participants acknowledged a direct correlation between their reading preferences and career aspirations, while 30.6% acknowledged a possible connection. The key mechanisms of influence that were identified include an enhanced understanding of specific fields such as mental health, imbibement of intrinsic values, countertypes inspiring young women readers to challenge traditional gender norms, the role of wishful identification in changed behaviour and aspirations, and changing metrics of success and work-life balance. A theoretical framework titled the 3S Model is proposed to understand and decode how the self, the story, and the social all interact to birth the above mechanisms of influence and change and ultimately, shape career aspirations.