Self-efficacy and outcome expectancy mechanisms in reading and writing achievement.

Abstract

This study examined the relation between self-efficacy and outcome expectancy beliefs and achievement in reading and writing. Most of the 153 subjects were White, middle-class undergraduate students. Efficacy for reading and writing tasks and component skills and outcome expectancies that reading and writing are important for realizing life goals were assessed. Reading achievement was measured by the Degrees of Reading Power test and writing achievement was measured by a holistically scored writing sample. Results from regression analysis indicated that self-efficacy and outcome expectancy beliefs jointly account for significant variance in reading achievement with self-efficacy being the stronger predictor and that self-efficacy, but not outcome expectancy, accounts for significant variance in writing achievement. Canonical correlation analysis identified a single underlying dimension linking beliefs and achievement for reading and writing, with reading beliefs and achievement contributing most strongly to the relation. Results are discussed as they relate to previous research and needed areas of future study. Bandura (1982Bandura ( , 1986 has proposed self-efficacy and outcome expectancy as two mechanisms of cognitive self-evaluation that mediate skilled performance. Self-efficacy is seen as the generative mechanism through which persons integrate and apply their existing cognitive, behavioral, and social skills to the performance of a task. It is expressed as personal confidence in the ability to successfully perform tasks at a given level. Outcome expectancies are beliefs about contingent relations between successful task performance and received outcomes. They mediate task performance by providing a cognitive appraisal of the likely outcomes of successful task performance and the likelihood that successful performance will lead to the attainment of goals. Outcome expectancies are related to the construct of locus of control (Rotter, 1966) and to causal attribution patterns (Weiner, 1979).Reading and writing are skills requiring the integration and application of multiple subskills (Benton, Kraft, Glover, &

Self-Efficacy: An Essential Motive to Learn

“…The conceptual distinction that Bandura (1986) drew between academic self-efficacy and outcome expectancies was studied psychometrically in research on reading and writing achievement. Shell, Murphy, and Bruning (1989) measured self-efficacy in terms of perceived capability to perform various reading and writing activities, and they assessed outcome expectancies regarding the value of these activities in attaining various outcomes in employment, social pursuits, family life, education, and citizenship. Efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancies jointly predicted 32% of the variance in reading achievement, with perceived efficacy accounting for virtually all the variance.…”

The Effectiveness of Goldstein’s Social Skillstreaming Model on Social Skills of Special Education Pre-Service Teachers at Najran University

“…thoughts, beliefs), environmental features, and behaviors". For example, one's beliefs (known as self-efficacy beliefs) can affect the environment; this means that efficacious students who try to write an essay or literary work in a noisy environment will try to redouble their efforts by deep concentration to avoid distractions (Zimmerman, 1998;Shell, Murphy, & Bruning, 1989).…”

Students’ educational level and their goal choices, self-efficacy, motivation, and writing performance

“…Consequently, there is lack of research which has thoroughly and scientifically delved into the developmental or achievement-level differences in children's beliefs about writing to date. According to the survey of some studies, the beliefs of adult and skilled participants are less strongly associated with achievement for writing (McCarthy et al, 1985;Shell et al, 1989); however, how this difference in the strength of the relation for writing develops and whether this difference also occurs for persons at other achievement levels presently are not known.…”