Self-Efficacy Theory

 

Self-Efficacy- 4 Sources
Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, suttong.com

Self-efficacy is the perception that a person can act in a way to achieve a desired goal. 

In 1977, Albert Bandura of Stanford University wrote an extensive article on the theory of self-efficacy. He proposed that our perceptions of self-efficacy come from four sources: “performance accomplishments, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, and physiological states (191).”

Four Primary Sources of Self-Efficacy

1. Performance Accomplishments (Mastery Experiences)

What it is: The most influential source of self-efficacy. Experiencing success builds a robust belief in one's personal efficacy, while failures undermine it—especially if failure occurs before a firm sense of efficacy is established.

Key Mechanism: Succeeding through sustained effort teaches that success requires persistence, creating a resilient sense of capability.

2. Vicarious Experiences (Social Modeling)

What it is: Observing people similar to oneself succeed through sustained effort raises the observer's beliefs that they, too, possess the capabilities to master comparable activities.

Key Mechanism: The impact depends heavily on the similarity of the model: the more relatable the model is perceived to be, the greater the influence on the observer's self-efficacy.

3. Verbal / Social Persuasion

What it is: Receiving positive encouragement and constructive feedback from credible sources (such as mentors, teachers, or coaches).

Key Mechanism: While persuasive encouragement alone rarely creates long-lasting efficacy, it can motivate people to try hard enough to succeed, which in turn leads to performance accomplishments.

4. Physiological & Emotional States

What it is: The physical and emotional reactions experienced when facing a challenge (e.g., stress, anxiety, heart rate, or mood).

Key Mechanism: People often interpret their physiological reactions as indicators of capability or vulnerability. High stress or anxiety is often interpreted as a sign of impending poor performance, whereas calmness and positive mood bolster feelings of competence.

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A substantial body of research has been done on the concept of self-efficacy. Recent formulations of self-efficacy focus attention on specific dimensions of self-efficacy. Thus we find researchers studying the relationship of self-efficacy to different outcomes like coping with stress, teaching, academic achievement, and so forth.

Some researchers have studied self-efficacy on a broad basis but this can lead to the assessment of competencies in many areas of functioning as seen in the 104-item Self-Efficacy Survey (Panc et al., 2012).

Assessing and helping people develop self-efficacy are useful skills for psychotherapists, health care workers, coaches, educators, parents, and anyone else involved in helping people assess their strengths and achieve their goals. I have included some measures of self-efficacy below.

Cite this post

Sutton, G.W. (2020, November 12). Self-efficacy theory. Psychology Concepts and Theories. https://suttonpsychology.blogspot.com/2020/11/self-efficacy-theory.html

A Reference Book edited by Albert Bandura

Self-Efficacy in Changing Societies

Measures of Self-Efficacy

   New General Self-Efficacy Scale

   Student Self-Efficacy Scale

    Academic Self-Efficacy Scale

   Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Anxiety Scale >>  MSEAQ

   Reading Self-Efficacy Scales  >>     RSES

   Spiritual Modeling Self-Efficacy Scale >>  SMSE

   

   Diet Self-efficacy Scale >>   DIET-SE

Post Author

Geoffrey W. Sutton, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Evangel University, holds a master’s degree in counseling and a PhD in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His postdoctoral work encompassed education and supervision in forensic and neuropsychology. As a licensed psychologist, he conducted clinical and neuropsychological evaluations and provided psychotherapy for patients in various settings, including schools, hospitals, and private offices. During his tenure as a professor, Dr. Sutton taught courses on psychotherapy, assessment, and research. He has authored over one hundred publications, including books, book chapters, and articles in peer-reviewed psychology journals. His website is https://suttong.com 

You can find Dr. Sutton's books on   AMAZON    and  GOOGLE. Many publications are free to download at ResearchGate   and Academia  

  

References

Bandura, A (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change. Psychological Review. 84 (2): 191–215.

Panc, T. Mihalcea, A., & Panc, I. (2012). Self-Efficacy Survey: a new assessment tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 33, 880-884. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.01.248.

Sutton, G. W., Phillips, S., Lehnert, A. B., Bartle, B. W., & Yokomizo, P. (2011). Strengths, academic self-efficacy, admission test scores, and GPA in a Christian university sample. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 30, 28-36.  Academia Link    ResearchGate Link