SELF-EFFICACY THEORY

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SELF-EFFICACY THEORY
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SELF-EFFICACY

• SELF-EFFICACY REFERS TO AN INDIVIDUALS
  CONVICTIONS ABOUT HIS/HER ABILITIES TO MOBILIZE
  COGNITIVE, MOTIVATIONAL, AND BEHAVIORAL
  FACILITIES NEEDED TO SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTE A
  SPECIFIC TASK WITHIN A GIVEN CONTEXT

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The Psychological Process

• 1) Before they select their choices and
  initiate their effort, people tend to
• weigh,
• evaluate, and
• integrate information about their perceived
  capabilities.
• 2) Expectations of personal efficacy determine
  whether an individual's coping behavior will be
• initiated,
• how much task-related effort will be expended,
  and
• how long that effort will be sustained despite
  disconfirming evidence.
• 3) Especially relevant to human performance in
  organizations is that
• employees who perceive themselves as highly
  efficacious will activate sufficient effort
  which, if well executed, produces successful
  outcomes.
• employees who perceive low self-efficacy are
  likely to cease their efforts prematurely and
  fail on the task.

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Self-Efficacy Dimensions

• 1) The Magnitude of Self-Efficacy Expectations
• which refers to the level of task difficulty that
  a person believes he or she is capable of
  executing.
• 2) The Strength of Self-Efficacy Expectations
• which refers to whether the judgment about
  magnitude is
• strong (perseverance in coping efforts despite
  disconfirming experiences), or
• weak (easily questioned in the face of
  difficulty).

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Self-Efficacy Measurement

• A) Magnitude - Whether you believe that you are
  capable or not (yes, no) of performing this task
  next time at each of the levels outlined in this
  scale. Please use column A for these responses.
• B) Strength - How certain you are (0 - 100 )
  about each yes/no response. For example, 0 would
  indicate no chance, whereas 100 would indicate
  absolute certainty. Please use column B for these
  responses.

Magnitude Sum of Yes Strength Sum of
certainty for the number of Yes
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Determinants of Self-Efficacy
ENACTIVE MASTERY
Successful Past Performance Provides the
Strongest Information for Enhancing Efficacy
Beliefs Provides Direct Performance
Information Leads to the Formation of More
Accurate Efficacy Judgments
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Determinants of Self-Efficacy
VICARIOUS LEARNING
Observing Others Perform and Be Reinforced by a
Similar Task MODELING Behavioral
Modeling Strategy Development Verbal
Persuasion Gaining (Successful) Enactive
Mastery Increase in Self-efficacy
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Determinants of Self-Efficacy
VERBAL PERSUASION

• Verbal Encouragement
• by
• Credible (trustworthy) Others
• Expertise Others

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Determinants of Self-Efficacy
PHYSIOLOGICAL STATE
Physical Fatigue
PSYCHOLOGICAL AROUSAL
Vulnerability to Stress, Fear, Anxiety
EMOTIONAL AROUSAL
PA/NA
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Determinants of Self-Efficacy
CONCEPTION OF ABILITY
Entity Acquirable Skill
CONTROLABILITY OF THE TASK
Controllable Uncontrollable
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TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

• All Antecedents May Influence Self-Efficacy
  Beliefs
• However, the Actual Impact of Any Relevant
  Information on
• Self-efficacy Will Depend on How It Is
• Cognitively Evaluated
• In Other Words, Self-efficacy Beliefs Are Formed
  on the
• Basis of Subjective Perceptions of Reality Rather
  Than
• On Objective Situational Determinants

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Work-Related Correlates of Self-Efficacy
High Self-efficacy Individuals Activate Adequate
Cognitive Resources, Sufficient Effort, and
Behaviors Which, If Well Executed, Produce
Successful Outcomes Those Who Perceive Low
Levels of Self-efficacy Are More Likely to Not
Even Make an Attempt, Cease Their Efforts
Prematurely If They Do Make an Attempt, Fail on
the Task, and Retain Self-debilitating
Expectations About Their Personal Competence
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Self-Efficacy Work Correlates
Managerial Performance Sales Learning and Task
Related Achievement Job Search Research
Productivity Adaptability to Advanced
Technology Career Choice and Academic Behavior
Coping With Career Related Events Skill
Acquisition Newcomer Adjustment to the
Organizational Setting Naval Performance at Sea
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The Latest Research on Self-Efficacy
Stajkovic Luthans (1998). Self-efficacy and
work-related task performance A meta-analysis.
Psychological Bulletin, 124, 240-261. To
Meta-analytically Aggregate and Analyze
Individual Research Findings Pertaining to the
Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and
Work-Related Task Performance What is the
average magnitude of the relationship between
self-efficacy and task-performance? Are there
any study characteristics (moderators) that
systematically moderate this relationship?
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Stajkovic Luthans (1998)
The final sample consisted of s 114 studies k
157 correlation estimates Total sample size N
21,626 The average sample size per correlation
estimate was 138 subjects
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Stajkovic Luthans (1998)
An average weighted correlation between
self-efficacy and work-related performance of
(G)r .38,,which transforms to an impressive 28
percent gain in task performance. Importantly,
for managing todays human resources, this 28
increase in task performance due to self-efficacy
represents a greater gain than those obtained
in meta-analyses examining the effects on task
performance of Goal-Setting (10.39) (Wood et
al., 1987), Feedback Interventions (13.6)
(Kluger DeNisi, 1996) Organizational Behavior
Modification (17) (Stajkovic Luthans, 1997)