SELF-EFFICACY THEORY
SELF-EFFICACY
SELF-EFFICACY REFERS TO AN INDIVIDUAL’S
CONVICTIONS ABOUT HIS/HER ABILITIES TO
MOBILIZE COGNITIVE, MOTIVATIONAL, AND
BEHAVIORAL FACILITIES NEEDED TO
SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTE A SPECIFIC TASK
WITHIN A GIVEN CONTEXT
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.
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).
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.
Number of uses in 1 minute
Column A
Column B
CAN DO
CERTANTY
(Y = yes)
(0-100%)
(N = no)
I believe I can list 2 uses in 1 minute
I believe I can list 4 uses in 1 minute
I believe I can list 6 uses in 1 minute
I believe I can list 8 uses in 1 minute
I believe I can list 10 uses in 1 minute
I believe I can list 12 uses in 1 minute
Magnitude = Sum of Yes
Strength = Sum of certainty for the number of Yes
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
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
Determinants of Self-Efficacy
VERBAL
PERSUASION
Verbal Encouragement
by:
Credible (trustworthy) Others
Expertise Others
Determinants of Self-Efficacy
PHYSIOLOGICAL
STATE
Physical Fatigue
PSYCHOLOGICAL
AROUSAL
Vulnerability to Stress, Fear, Anxiety
EMOTIONAL
AROUSAL
PA/NA
Determinants of Self-Efficacy
CONCEPTION OF
ABILITY
Entity
Acquirable Skill
CONTROLABILITY
OF THE TASK
Controllable
Uncontrollable
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
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 Selfdebilitating Expectations About Their Personal Competence
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
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?
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
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 today’s 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)