Self Efficacy and Implicit Theories of
Intelligence
Mikelene Ray and Paul Smith
Alverno College, Milwaukee WI

The label “at-risk” indicates the
expectation that the student will have
difficulty with her academic program.

That expectation may be based on:
 The student’s own past performance.
 Characteristics the student has in common
with past students who had difficulty.

The purpose of the “at-risk” label is to
match students with available help.

Nonetheless, the “at-risk” label may
result in negative stereotyping.
What determines students’ success?
Model
Determinant of Student Success
“Risk Factors” Number and severity of risk factors
Bandura
Dweck
Students’ self efficacy
Students’ beliefs about the nature of
intelligence.
A naïve model of advising at-risk students
suggests:
▪ Identifying at-risk students
▪ Giving them special support
Implicit Assumption:

At-risk students face special difficulties that
impede their graduation.
(and therefore…)

Students in general who graduate on time do
so because they faced no special difficulties.
Bandura on Agency :
“Self-generated activities lie at the very heart of causal processes”
“Because judgments and actions are partly self-determined, people can
effect change in themselves and their situations through their own
efforts”
“Among the mechanisms of personal agency, none is more central or
pervasive than people’s beliefs about their capabilities to exercise control
over events that affect their lives”
Bandura, A. (1989). Human agency in Social Cognitive Theory. American Psychologist, 44, 1175-1184.
“Self-doubts can set in quickly after some failures or
reverses…Because the acquisition of knowledge and
competencies usually requires sustained effort in the face of
difficulties and setbacks, it is resiliency of self-belief that
counts”.
Bandura, A. (1989). Human agency in Social Cognitive Theory. American Psychologist, 44, 1175-1184.
X
If you believe in yourself,
you can accomplish anything!
“Magic” Theory
“Believe in
yourself!”
(some unspecified mechanism)
“You can do
anything!”
Self Efficacy
Believe that you
can accomplish this
particular task.
Persist in your
efforts at this task,
even after setbacks.
Succeed at this
particular task.
Core principle:
Students’ beliefs about the nature of
intelligence determine the orientation
they take toward learning.

Entity Theory (held by some students):
 Intelligence in an area is a fixed entity.
 The learning process is a matter of discovering whether
or not you have intelligence in an area.

Effect on learning behavior:
 Adopt Performance Goal: goal of learning process is to
demonstrate existing competence.
 In the face of failure, stop trying.
Dweck, C. S. & Leggett, E. L. (1998). A Social-Cognitive approach to motivation and personality.
Psychological Review, 95, 256-273.

Incremental Theory:
 Intelligence in an area can be developed.
 The learning process is a matter of taking on
challenging tasks that promote development.

Effect on learning behavior:
 Adopt Learning Goal: goal of learning process is to
develop competence.
 Failure provides information about what to work on
next.
Dweck, C. S. & Leggett, E. L. (1998). A Social-Cognitive approach to motivation and personality.
Psychological Review, 95, 256-273.
Theory of
Intelligence
Goal Orientation
Perceived
present
ability
Behavior pattern
Entity
(Intelligence is
fixed)
Performance
(Goal is to gain positive
judgments/avoid
negative judgments of
competence)
High
Mastery oriented
(Seek challenge;
high persistence)
Low
Helpless
(Avoid challenge; low
persistence)
Learning
(Goal is to increase
competence)
High or Low
Mastery oriented
(Seek challenge that
fosters learning;
high persistence
Incremental
(Intelligence is
malleable)
Dweck, C. S. & Leggett, E. L. (1998). A Social-Cognitive approach to motivation and
personality. Psychological Review, 95, 256-273.
Entity Theory
(Initial thoughts: I have an inherent talent)
“I am naturally good at
helping people”
“I will be a successful
Psychology student”
(Faced with a Challenge: I lack an inherent talent)
“I can’t do math”
“I will avoid taking the
required Probability and
Statistics course”
Incremental Theory
(Initial Thoughts: Need to learn a skill)
“I like helping people”
“I will become a
Psychology Major”
(Faced with a Challenge: What do I need to learn?)
“I did not receive the
feedback/grade in
Statistics that I was
hoping for”
“I will continue as a
Psychology major, but may
need to put more effort into
understanding principles of
Statistics”
Can a student’s Self Efficacy for college success change?
Can we do anything to improve a student’s Self Efficacy?
Can we do anything to move a student from an Entity
Theory of intelligence to an Incremental Theory?
Can a student’s Self Efficacy for college success change?
Can a student’s Self Efficacy for college success change?
Can we do anything to improve a student’s Self Efficacy?
Can we do anything to move a student from an Entity
Theory of intelligence to an Incremental Theory?
1. Stop encouraging the Entity Theory.
2. Explicitly discuss the model with students.
3. Acknowledge the hard work we did in order to learn.