Are you an active person? This is a question you might face when planning your week, volunteering for a task, or swiping on dating apps. Questions like this are broad, and they require a certain amount of confidence to answer “yes.” If you’re confident, you may say that you’re active, or successful, or any other positive trait. But this page is not about confidence…it’s about self-efficacy.

This page is all about what self-efficacy is, how to develop it, and how it limits us or gives us the confidence to do things we otherwise may not do.

What Is Self-Efficacy?Who First Studied Self-Efficacy?The Four Sources of Self-EfficacyExamples of Self-EfficacyCan Self-Efficacy Change Over Time?Five Ways to Develop Self-Efficacy

What Is Self-Efficacy?

Who First Studied Self-Efficacy?

The Four Sources of Self-Efficacy

Examples of Self-Efficacy

Can Self-Efficacy Change Over Time?

Five Ways to Develop Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy is the belief that we can complete a certain task. This is a more specific belief. Rather than the belief that we are “active” or “a runner,” self-efficacy is what tells us we are capable of running a certain distance or with a certain pace.

Self-Worth vs. Self-Efficacy

Self-worth, confidence, and self-esteem are terms that speak to your overall abilities and traits over time. Self-efficacy is more specific. A person may believe that they are capable of completing a task in certain conditions, but not others. Of course, these beliefs can be changed and altered and may have an effect on broader beliefs like self-worth.

Psychologists took note of self-efficacy after Albert Bandura introduced the term in 1997. Bandura spent decades studying how people observe others to learn new skills and information. (He is the psychologist behind the famous Bobo Doll Experiment from the 1960s.) His central work was originally called the Social Learning Theory but evolved into Social Cognitive Theory over time. The concept of self-efficacy aided in this evolution.

Bandura identifiedfour sources of self-efficacythat shape how a person believes they will perform in certain circumstances. These sources are:

As you read about these different factors, think of how your beliefs change.

Mastery experiences

Mastery experience refers to the successes and failures a person has had in the past. For example, if you have gotten every job that you have interviewed for, you are likely to believe that you will get the next job you interview for. If you failed a task previously, especially recently, you are less likely to believe that your next attempt will be a success.

Keep in mind that mastery experiences are justonesource of self-efficacy. All of these sources work together to form your beliefs. Verbal persuasion regarding failure and your explanations of failure, for example, could minimize or (exacerbate) how impactful a past failure is on your

Vicarious experiences

Vicarious experiences are the experiences of others. Bandura’s Bobo Doll experiment showed that humans may learn behaviors through observation. For example, they see a parent being aggressive toward a doll, and they are more likely to be aggressive toward the doll in the same manner.

As we observe others, we also tend to compare ourselves to the people we are observing. Forty years before Albert Bandura introduced the idea of self-efficacy to psychology, Leon Festinger first introduced hisSocial Comparison Theory. The theory outlines how we look at people similar to us to evaluate our own personality, status, and abilities.

Verbal persuasion

Have you ever been scared to do something, but felt that fear go away when a parent or a coach tells you, “you can do it!” Maybe you have usedaffirmationsto reduce your anxiety before a big speech or game. These incidents illustrate how verbal persuasion can impact your self-efficacy. Verbal persuasion comes in the form of self-talk, encouragement from others, or speeches not even intended for us!

Physiological and affective states

In psychology, “affect” is a broad term relating to a person’s feelings or mood. Their physiology refers to how they are feeling physically. Mood and how we feel physically can have a significant impact on whether we believe we can accomplish a task.

Even if you are a regular runner, for example, a nasty hangover might seriously hinder your ability to believe you can run five miles on a certain morning. You may postpone the run to a later time or skip the run altogether. (Who could blame you?) The next night you go to a party and plan to run the next morning, you may adjust your drinking habits based on your priorities.

Feeling nauseous or in pain may have just as much of an impact as changes to your emotional state. A person who feels energized, motivated, and hopeful is probably more likely to attempt a five-mile run than someone who is depressed, unmotivated, or sad.

Knowing the four sources of self-efficacy, you can see how self-efficacy can change, for better or for worse, over time. Seeking out verbal persuasion or changing your affective state, for example, can impact whether you believe in your abilities to complete certain tasks.

Just Try It Out!

If you are thinking of a task that you have never completed before, you may draw on mastery experiencesrelatedto the task, but not mirroring the task itself. The best way to discover your abilities is to just go for it and see what you’re capable of doing! You might surprise yourself, or do exactly how you predicted you would do.

Do Your Research

The more you know about the task at hand, the easier it will be to see yourself completing it (or practice the skills required to complete it.) Research can include vicarious experiences or even verbal persuasion. As you watch another person talk about their experiences sending a v5 climbing route, for example, they may encourage climbers to try something out of their comfort zone or practice certain skills before attempting the route. The more time you spend researching the task, the more you can assure yourself that you’ve put in work and intention to complete it.

Surround Yourself With Positive People

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is awareness without judgment. You can develop mindfulness through meditation, walking, or other simplepractices. As you develop mindfulness, you may find that you can better control or tap into your affective state. You will be able to anticipate when your affective state will change and adjust your environment for the better. Protecting your affective state will help you stay “in the right mood” for evaluating your abilities and believing in your ability to achieve.

Practice Healthy Habits

Maintaining your physiological state has many benefits! If you get enough sleep, eat healthy, and stay active, you’ll find that your life improves in many ways. Your self-efficacy will develop and you will get a better sense of what you can do. There are so many reasons to get sleep, drink water, and stay healthy!

Related posts:Albert Bandura (Biography + Experiments)Active Listening (Definition + Examples)Perceptual Reasoning (Definition + Examples)Robert Cialdini (Psychologist Biography)40+ Famous Psychologists (Images + Biographies)

Reference this article:Practical Psychology. (2022, December).Self Efficacy (Psychology Definition + Examples).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/self-efficacy/.Practical Psychology. (2022, December). Self Efficacy (Psychology Definition + Examples). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/self-efficacy/.Copy

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Practical Psychology. (2022, December).Self Efficacy (Psychology Definition + Examples).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/self-efficacy/.Practical Psychology. (2022, December). Self Efficacy (Psychology Definition + Examples). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/self-efficacy/.Copy

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