Self-efficacy

Question 1

What is self-efficacy?

Answer 1

A situation-specific form of self-confidence; perception of one’s ability to perform a specific task successfully; not actual skills, but belief of what one can do with those skills

Question 2

What does self-efficacy influence?

Answer 2

Behaviour and thought patterns: choice of activity, effort, persistence; worry, attributions. If someone has the skills and motivation, SE is a major determinant of performance

Question 3

What are sources of self-efficacy information?

Answer 3

Performance accomplishments; vicarious experiences; verbal persuasion; emotional arousal

Question 4

What does the effectiveness of performance accomplishments depend on?

Answer 4

Perception of experiences; perception of task difficulty; amount of guidance; temporal patterns of success and failure; relationship between SE and performance accomplishment is reciprocal and can be positive or negative

Question 5

What are vicarious experiences?

Answer 5

Observing others performing a skill; is especially important if the skill has never been performed by person; modelling gives information about sequences of actions to do to succeed

Question 6

What does the effectiveness of vicarious experiences depend on?

Answer 6

Influenced by model competence an similarity

Question 7

What are examples of verbal persuasion?

Answer 7

Evaluative feedback, expectations by others, motivational self-talk

Question 8

What does the effectiveness of verbal persuasion depend on?

Answer 8

Credibility, prestige, trustworthiness, must be realistic

Question 9

What does the effectiveness of emotional arousal depend on?

Answer 9

Whether one associates arousal with fear or with being ready for performance. Although actual physiological arousal did not predict SE, perceived arousal was a significant predictor

Question 10

What are interventions which can enhance SE?

Answer 10

Goal setting, as creates a sense of accomplishment; positive feedback when following a successful experience should enhance

Question 11

What are guidelines for enhancing SE?

Answer 11

Establish challenging, realistic goals; establish progressively more difficult tasks; positive reinforcement; demonstrate skills; encourage use of imagery; realistic verbal persuasion; encourage positive self-talk