Self-efficacy: belief in one's own ability

Self-efficacy, a concept developed by Albert Bandura, refers to the beliefs people have about their own abilities to organize and execute the courses of action necessary to produce specific accomplishments or results.

It is the confidence in one's ability to succeed in specific situations or to accomplish a task.

Definition and Distinction from Other Concepts

Self-efficacy is not the same as self-esteem (the overall appraisal of oneself) or the actual skills a person possesses.

A person may have high overall self-esteem but low self-efficacy in a particular area (e.g., "I value myself as a person, but I don't feel capable of learning to program"), or vice versa.

It is also possible to have the skills necessary for a task but low self-efficacy, which may prevent attempt or optimal performance.

Self-efficacy is situation-specific; refers to the confidence in one's ability to perform a specific task in a given context.

Sources of Self-Efficacy

According to Bandura, self-efficacy beliefs develop from four main sources of information:

• Mastery Experiences (Performance Achievements): Having succeeded at similar tasks in the past is the most powerful source of self-efficacy. Successes build a robust belief in one’s ability, while repeated failures can undermine it.

• Vicariate Experiences (Observational Learning): Observing others similar to oneself (role models) succeed at a task can increase one’s belief that it can also be achieved.

• Social Persuasion (Verbal): Being verbally persuaded by others that one possesses the capabilities to succeed can strengthen self-efficacy, although this effect is often weaker if not backed up by direct experiences.

• Physiological and Emotional States: The way we interpret our physical and emotional reactions (such as anxiety, stress, fatigue, or mood) when facing a task also influences self-efficacy. If we interpret nervousness as a sign of incompetence, self-efficacy will decrease.

Impact of Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy beliefs have a profound impact on motivation, effort, perseverance, and performance. People with high self-efficacy tend to:

• Set more challenging goals.

• Invest more effort in achieving their goals.

• Persist longer in the face of difficulties and setbacks.

• Recover more quickly from failures.

• Experience less stress and anxiety when facing difficult tasks.

In short, self-efficacy is a key psychological factor that influences how people approach challenges and their ability to achieve their goals.