Social Cognitive Theory: What Is Self-Efficacy?

The concept of self-efficacy lies at the center of psychologist Albert Banduras social cognitive theory.
Banduras theory emphasizes the role of observational learning, social experience, and reciprocal
determinism in the development of personality.
According to Bandura, a persons attitudes, abilities, and cognitive skills comprise what is known as the
self-system. This system plays a major role in how we perceive situations and how we behave in
response to different situations. Self-efficacy plays is an essential part of this self-system.
What Is Self-Efficacy?
According to Albert Bandura, self-efficacy is "the belief in ones capabilities to organize and execute the
courses of action required to manage prospective situations." In other words, self-efficacy is a persons
belief in his or her ability to succeed in a particular situation. Bandura described these beliefs as
determinants of how people think, behave, and feel (1994).
Since Bandura published his seminal 1977 paper, "Self-Efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral
Change," the subject has become one of the most studied topics in psychology. Why has self-efficacy
become such an important topic among psychologists and educators? As Bandura and other researchers
have demonstrated, self-efficacy can have an impact on everything from psychological states to behavior
to motivation.
The Role of Self-Efficacy
Virtually all people can identify goals they want to accomplish, things they would like to change, and
things they would like to achieve. However, most people also realize that putting these plans into action
is not quite so simple. Bandura and others have found that an individuals self-efficacy plays a major role
in how goals, tasks, and challenges are approached.
People with a strong sense of self-efficacy:
View challenging problems as tasks to be mastered
Develop deeper interest in the activities in which they participate
Form a stronger sense of commitment to their interests and activities
Recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments

People with a weak sense of self-efficacy:
Avoid challenging tasks
Believe that difficult tasks and situations are beyond their capabilities
Focus on personal failings and negative outcomes
Quickly lose confidence in personal abilities

Sources of Self-Efficacy
How does self-efficacy develop? These beliefs begin to form in early childhood as children deal with a
wide variety of experiences, tasks, and situations. However, the growth of self-efficacy does not end
during youth, but continues to evolve throughout life as people acquire new skills, experiences, and
understanding.
According to Bandura, there are four major sources of self-efficacy.

1. Mastery Experiences
"The most effective way of developing a strong sense of efficacy is through mastery experiences,"
Bandura explained. Performing a task successfully strengthens our sense of self-efficacy. However, failing
to adequately deal with a task or challenge can undermine and weaken self-efficacy.
2. Social Modeling
Witnessing other people successfully completing a task is another important source of self-efficacy.
According to Bandura, "Seeing people similar to oneself succeed by sustained effort raises observers'
beliefs that they too possess the capabilities master comparable activities to succeed."
3. Social Persuasion
Bandura also asserted that people could be persuaded to believe that they have the skills and
capabilities to succeed. Consider a time when someone said something positive and encouraging that
helped you achieve a goal. Getting verbal encouragement from others helps people overcome self-doubt
and instead focus on giving their best effort to the task at hand.
4. Psychological Responses
Our own responses and emotional reactions to situations also play an important role in self-efficacy.
Moods, emotional states, physical reactions, and stress levels can all impact how a person feels about
their personal abilities in a particular situation. A person who becomes extremely nervous before
speaking in public may develop a weak sense of self-efficacy in these situations.
However, Bandura also notes "it is not the sheer intensity of emotional and physical reactions that is
important but rather how they are perceived and interpreted." By learning how to minimize stress and
elevate mood when facing difficult or challenging tasks, people can improve their sense of self-efficacy.
References: Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84, 191215.
Bandura, A. (1992) Exercise of personal agency through the self-efficacy mechanisms. In R. Schwarzer (Ed.), Self-efficacy:
Thought control of action. Washington, DC: Hemisphere.
Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior,4. New York: Academic Press,
pp. 71-81.
Bandura, A. (1995). Self-Efficacy in Changing Societies. Cambridge University Press.

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The concept of self-efficacy lies at the center of psychologist Albert Banduras social cognitive theory.

View challenging problems as tasks to be mastered

Develop deeper interest in the activities in which they participate

Form a stronger sense of commitment to their interests and activities

Recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments

Avoid challenging tasks

Focus on personal failings and negative outcomes

Quickly lose confidence in personal abilities

According to Bandura, there are four major sources of self-efficacy.

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