From Uncertainty Threat to Action Withdrawal: Psychological Mechanisms and Responses to Employment Anxiety among Psychology Majors

Abstract

Employment anxiety among psychology majors is not simply an emotional response to a difficult labor market. It is a recursive
process in which uncertain occupational information is interpreted as a threat to control, professional identity, and self-worth. This theoretical
review integrates evidence concerning intolerance of uncertainty, core self-evaluation, self-efficacy, psychological capital, career decisionmaking difficulty, and family socioeconomic context. A cyclical model is proposed: ambiguous career demands trigger threat appraisal; low
efficacy and ideal-reality discrepancies weaken perceived control; anxiety narrows information processing and encourages avoidance; reduced
exploration and feedback then deprive students of mastery evidence and reinforce the original appraisal. Psychology majors may be especially
vulnerable because broad occupational possibilities coexist with unclear professional boundaries, qualification thresholds, and a helping-profession identity that discourages disclosure of distress. Accordingly, intervention should not aim at eliminating anxiety in isolation. It should
recalibrate uncertainty appraisal, transform career decisions into testable tasks, accumulate mastery evidence through graded action, and align
curriculum, supervision, family support, and employment services. This mechanism-based framework provides a coherent basis for prevention, identification, and individualized support.