Contextual affordances of rural Appalachian individuals

Vocational psychology has recently begun examining the career development of marginalized and underrepresented populations. Social cognitive career theory provides a theoretical understanding of how cultural differences, resources, and barriers may affect the vocational choices and actions of individuals from minority populations. Contextual affordances, in particular, provide psychologists with a mechanism through which both distal and proximal environments influence vocational outcomes. This article examines the contextual affordances of Appalachian individuals from a social justice perspective. Implications for interventions and future research are proposed.