Self-efficacy: Why do you need to believe in yourself?

When you face challenges, do you feel like you can rise up and achieve your goal, or do you give up right away?

The concept of self-efficacy is central to psychologist Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory, which emphasizes the role of observational learning, social experience, and mutual determinism in personality development.

According to Bandura, a person's attitude, abilities, and cognitive skills constitute what is called the self-perception system. This system plays an important role in how we perceive situations and how we behave in response to different situations. Self-efficacy is an integral part of this behavioral system.

What is self-efficacy?

According to Albert Bandura, self-efficacy is “belief in one’s abilities to organize and carry out the actions necessary to manage anticipated situations.” In other words, self-efficacy is a person's belief in their ability to succeed in a particular situation. Bandura described these beliefs as determinants of how people think, behave, and feel.

Why has self-efficacy become such an important topic among psychologists and educators? As Bandura and other researchers have shown, self-efficacy can influence everything from psychological states to behavior and motivation.

Our belief in our own ability to succeed plays a role in how we think, how we act, and how we feel about our place in the world and society. Self-efficacy also determines what goals we choose to achieve, how we go about achieving those goals, and how we reflect on our own performance.

The role of self-efficacy

Almost all people can identify goals they want to achieve, things they would like to change. However, most people also understand that implementing these plans is not that easy. Bandura and others have found that a person's self-efficacy plays an important role in how they approach goals and tasks.

People with a strong sense of self-efficacy:

View complex problems as tasks to be mastered
Develop a deeper interest in the activities in which they participate
Develop a stronger sense of commitment to their interests and activities
Deal quickly with failures and disappointments

People with a low sense of self-efficacy:

Avoid difficult tasks
Believe that difficult tasks and situations are beyond their capabilities
Focus on personal shortcomings and negative results
Quickly lose faith in personal abilities

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September 25, 2021 is the anniversary of Nina Gavrilovna Salmina , Doctor of Psychology, Professor of the Department of Educational Psychology and Pedagogy, Faculty of Psychology, Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov. “Psychological Newspaper” congratulates Nina Gavrilovna and wishes her health and strength, mutual understanding and talented students, good mood and only good news!

Sources of self-efficacy

How does self-efficacy develop? These beliefs begin to develop in early childhood, when children are exposed to a wide range of experiences, challenges, and situations. However, growth in self-efficacy does not end in youth, but continues to develop throughout life as individuals acquire new skills, experiences, and understanding.

According to Bandura, there are four main sources of self-efficacy:

Mastery of Experience

“The most effective way to develop a strong sense of effectiveness is through mastery experiences,” Bandura explained. Successfully completing a task strengthens our sense of self-efficacy. However, failure to adequately cope with a task can undermine and weaken self-efficacy.

Social modeling

Witnessing others successfully completing a task is another important source of self-efficacy. According to Bandura, “Watching people similar to oneself achieve success through sustained effort increases the observer's belief that they, too, have the ability to master comparable activities to achieve success.”

Social Persuasion

Bandura also argues that people can be convinced that they have the skills and abilities to succeed. Consider a time when someone said something positive and encouraging that helped you achieve a goal. Receiving verbal encouragement from others helps people overcome self-doubt and instead focus on doing their best to complete the task at hand.

Psychological reactions

Our own reactions and emotional reactions to situations also play an important role in self-efficacy. Mood, emotional state, physical reactions, and stress levels can influence how a person feels about his or her personal abilities in a particular situation. A person who becomes very nervous before speaking in public may develop a weak sense of self-efficacy in these situations.

However, Bandura also Fr. By learning to minimize stress and improve mood when tackling difficult tasks, people can improve their sense of self-efficacy.

Examples of self-efficacy

So what does high self-efficacy look like? You can probably think of some examples from your own life, including areas in which you feel more effective. People may have a general sense of self-efficacy or a specific area where they believe they can succeed, such as school, work, friendships, parenting, sports, hobbies, and other areas.

Some examples of strong self-efficacy include:

A student who feels confident that she can learn the information and pass the exam successfully.

A woman who has just taken a position in a role that she has never performed before, but feels that she has the ability to learn and do the job well.

A person who is struggling to manage their chronic illness but feels confident that they can get back on track and improve their health by working hard and following their doctor's recommendations.

Self-efficacy may play an important role in health psychology and how people manage their health, nutrition, and illness. For example, a strong sense of self-efficacy can help people who are trying to quit smoking stick to their goals. Maintaining a weight loss plan, managing chronic pain, avoiding alcohol, sticking to an exercise schedule, and adhering to a nutrition plan can all impact a person's self-efficacy levels.

Bandura suggests that self-efficacy can contribute to an individual's sense of well-being in several ways. Because people with high self-efficacy view difficulties as challenges rather than threats, they tend to be more motivated to solve the problems in front of them. Difficulty and failure do not mean failure; instead, these people redouble their efforts and look for new ways to cope. They remain optimistic and confident in their abilities even when things get difficult.

People with low self-efficacy tend to view difficult tasks as threats that should be avoided. Because of this, they also tend to avoid setting goals and have a low level of commitment to the ones they set. When failures occur, they quickly give up. Because they have little confidence in their ability to achieve, they are more likely to experience feelings of failure and depression. Stressful situations can also be very challenging, and people with low self-efficacy are less resilient and less likely to bounce back.

History of creation

Original version

The German version of the general self-efficacy scale was developed by R. Schwarzer and M. Jerusalem in 1981 and originally included 20 statements. Through refinement and statistical analysis, the scale was reduced to 10 statements and, in this form, translated into 19 languages. The scale was normed on a sample of 1,660 German adults, and these norms now serve as a guide for cross-cultural research.

The assumption that general self-efficacy is a central and fairly stable human characteristic was tested by comparing the statistical properties of the scale in Spanish, German and Chinese (Hong Kong) samples. In all national samples, the scale had similar statistical characteristics and demonstrated similar correlations with other tests: positive - with indicators of self-esteem and optimism, negative - with values of general and situational anxiety, shyness and pessimism.

The authors of national versions of the scale came to the conclusion that different language versions of this test are equivalent, including factor structures and reliability characteristics of both the test as a whole and its individual statements.

Russian version

Translation

The experimental form of the Russian version of the general self-efficacy scale arose as a result of comparing the Russian translations of its two versions - German and English. In two translations, carried out independently by different specialists, pairs of content-equivalent statements were identified. We did not find complete equivalence between the two versions of the Russian translation; one of the statements in the translation from German could not find an analogue in the translation from English. Thus, based on the comparison and correction of two translations, an experimental form of the test consisting of 11 statements arose.

Validation

The test, in blank form with an additional field regarding demographic characteristics, was presented to subjects to complete with a short oral introduction regarding the purpose of the study (an experiment on self-confidence). Some subjects received a form to fill out in their free time. In student groups, the collection of material took place in the form of a group blank experiment. The experimenters sought to minimize interference during the test. Testing was carried out anonymously; only those wishing to receive test results were asked to write down their address on a form. 512 questionnaires were collected, some of which were excluded from processing due to filling errors. It was not possible to completely match the sample by gender and age. 495 questionnaires considered suitable for processing were filled out by groups of students from the Faculty of Law of Rostov State University and various faculties of the Rostov Academy of Agricultural Engineering. The sample also included employees of research organizations, clients of psychological consultation at the Rostov Psychological Center, and public education workers.

Test reliability

Using the sample as a whole and separately for men and women, the internal reliability coefficient of the test, the correlation of each test statement with the raw values for the test as a whole, and the value of Cronbach’s α coefficient in case of removing the corresponding statement were calculated. Based on the calculated data, one of the statements with the worst performance was removed from further analysis. The meaning of this statement in the Russian translation relates more to the external causes and circumstances of difficulties in implementing intentions than to self-efficacy as such.

Factor analysis

Factor analysis of the test statements yielded one clearly expressed general factor. The values obtained in the Russian sample differed slightly from the values in the German, Spanish and Chinese samples. The first three identified factors had their own weights of 4.28; 0.92 and 0.80, respectively, and explained 60% of the total variance. The first (general) factor in the Russian sample explained 42% of the variability. Thus, a clearly expressed general factor was discovered, which confirmed the high degree of homogeneity of the test. The obtained characteristics of the factor structure are in excellent agreement with other national versions of the self-efficacy scale and allow the translation to be used to calculate other statistical characteristics of its Russian version. The factor loadings of the individual statements also correspond to the values obtained on the original German form of the test. Separate factor analysis on samples of men, women and students gave similar results. Factor loadings of individual statements and other characteristics of factor structures obtained on German, Spanish, Chinese and Russian samples do not differ significantly. There were no significant changes in mean self-efficacy scores across age groups.

The arithmetic mean for the Russian sample was 31.93, the standard deviation was 4.74. The nature of the distribution of test values on the Russian sample (as well as on other national versions, excluding the Chinese one) differs from normal, however, only slightly.

How strong is your self-efficacy?

For a quick, informal assessment of your own self-efficacy levels, consider the following questions:

Do you believe that you can overcome problems if you are willing to work at it?
Are you confident in your ability to achieve your goals?
Do you think you can control unexpected events that happen?
Can you bounce back quickly from stressful events?
Do you think you can find solutions when you are faced with a problem?
Do you keep trying even when things seem difficult?
Are you good at remaining calm in stressful situations?
Do you work well even under pressure?
Do you tend to focus on your progress rather than getting overwhelmed by all the things you still have to do?
Do you believe that hard work will pay off in the end?

If you can answer “yes” to many or most of these questions, then you most likely have a fairly strong sense of self-efficacy. If you feel like your self-efficacy may be improving, consider some of the following strategies to improve your sense of efficacy.

How to build your self-efficacy

Luckily, self-efficacy is a psychological skill that you can develop and strengthen. Start by looking for ways you can incorporate Bandura's sources of self-efficacy into your own life.

Celebrate your success

However, ideal success is not necessarily easy. If you have a lot of easy success, you may be willing to give up when you finally face failure. So work on setting goals that are achievable, but not necessarily easy. Achieving them will take work and persistence, but once you achieve them, you will have a stronger belief in your abilities.

Watch others

Bandura also identified experiences gained through peer modeling as another important means of establishing and enhancing self-efficacy. Watching others put in effort and succeed as a result can increase your belief in your ability to succeed. One factor that plays a key role in the effectiveness of this approach is how similar the model is to you. The more you feel similar, the more likely it is that your observations will increase your sense of self-efficacy.

Look for positive affirmations

Positive feedback about you from other people can also improve your sense of self-efficacy. For the same reason, try to ignore the opinions of people who you know are more likely to have a negative or critical opinion of your work.

For example, your doctor telling you that you're doing a good job sticking to your diet can be reassuring. Feedback from friends, mentors, practitioners, and people you respect can help you feel more confident in your abilities.

Positive social feedback can be useful for reinforcing your already existing sense of effectiveness, but negative comments can often have a strong undermining effect. Bandura suggested that social feedback alone is not enough to build your confidence, but it can be a useful tool when you need extra support.

Pay attention to your thoughts and emotions

If you feel stressed or nervous before a difficult event, you may be less confident in your ability to cope with the task at hand. Another way to increase your self-efficacy is to look for ways to manage your thoughts and emotions about what you are trying to achieve. Are you feeling anxious? Finding ways to reduce your stress levels will help you feel more confident in your abilities. Do you dwell on negative thoughts? Look for ways to replace negativity with positive self-talk that promotes self-confidence.

Developing a strong sense of self-efficacy can play an important role in almost every aspect of your life. Life is full of challenges, and a high level of self-efficacy can help you deal with these challenges more effectively. Your belief in your abilities can predict how motivated you are, how you feel about yourself, and how much effort you put into achieving your goals.

Four ways to boost your self-confidence

Set and achieve small goals.

Set small and short-term goals to become more confident when you successfully achieve those goals. Then, as each task is completed, it acts as a stepping stone to achieving the larger goal.

For example, your ultimate goal might be a weight loss of 20 kilograms. But you can break it down into several smaller goals. You may decide to skip dessert to cut down on calories. Every day that you skip dessert, you build confidence in your ability to achieve your goal. Increasing self-efficacy helps keep you on track to achieve your goal.

Surround yourself with positive messages.

If people around you are successfully achieving a goal you want to achieve, you are more likely to believe that you can do it too. Find friends who have habits you admire.

If you want to lose weight, then spend your lunch break with people who eat healthy food. Go to the gym with friends.

You can also surround yourself with positive messages electronically. Sign up for newsletters from trainers about weight loss and successful health-focused diets.

Get social support.

Seek help from the people who matter most to you. Tell them about the goal you are trying to achieve and let them know that their encouragement and positive messages matter. Make it a habit to acknowledge and accept the compliments you receive from them.

Your friends and family can support you. Research has found that positive messages sent electronically can also help people achieve their goals.

Learn to relax.

If you have intense emotional reactions to situations, your self-efficacy regarding your ability to cope with that situation is likely to be low. It will take some time to identify the situations that cause you to react strongly. Then, learn relaxation techniques that will help you return to a calm emotional state.

Increasing self-efficacy to build confidence is a process that takes time. But you can take small steps every day. As you become more aware of your thoughts and beliefs, the process will become simpler and it will become easier to achieve your goal and become stronger and more confident.

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