Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency.

Abstract

This article addresses the centrality of the self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. Self-percepts of efficacy influence thought patterns, actions, and emotional arousal. In causal tests the higher the level of induced self-efficacy, the higher the performance accomplishments and the lower the emotional arousal. Different lines of research are reviewed, showing that the self-efficacy mechanism may have wide explanatory power. Perceived self-efficacy helps to account for such diverse phenomena as changes in coping behavior produced by different modes of influence, level of physiological stress reactions, self-regulation of refractory behavior, resignation and despondency to failure experiences, self-debilitating effects of proxy control and illusory inefficaciousness, achievement strivings, growth of intrinsic interest, and career pursuits. The influential role of perceived collective efficacy in social change is analyzed, as are the social conditions conducive to development of collective inefficacy.

Depressive symptoms in later life: differential impact of social support and motivational processes on depression in individuals with and without cognitive impairment

“…When trying to solve a problem, individuals define goals to improve the situation. To achieve these goals, motivational skills are required-activation regulation to initiate an action, decision regulation to reach a fast decision, motivation regulation to persevere with a task when facing difficulties, and self-efficacy to believe in the ability to cope with difficult tasks (Kuhl and Fuhrmann 1998;Kruglanski et al 2000;Bandura 1997). Problem-solving was shown to moderate stress-related depressive symptoms in previous studies (Nezu and Ronan 1988), suggesting that depressed patients rely on inadequate strategies to address their problems.…”

“…Based on our findings, it can be argued that the impact of social support on depressive symptoms is attenuated by cerebral deterioration in cognitively impaired individuals, while motivational processes remain relevant. Programmes aimed at treating depression in old age should also target motivational processes such as self-efficacy and self-motivation, which have already proved to be malleable (Bandura 1997;Forstmeier and Rüddel 2007), and take differences between cognitively healthy versus cognitively impaired individuals into account. As different processes seem to be responsible for depressive symptoms in cognitively impaired individuals, different approaches to treating depression in later life might be appropriate.…”

“…Goal setting and implementation are determined by rather different motivation-related constructs (Gollwitzer and Oettingen 2012). While goal setting is determined by control and expectancy constructs (Skinner 1996) such as self-efficacy (Bandura 1992(Bandura , 1997 and locus of control (Rotter 1966), goal implementation is rather determined by self-regulatory strategies that are needed to cope with difficulties during the implementation phase such as decision regulation (Kuhl and Fuhrmann 1998), activation regulation (Kruglanski et al 2000) and motivation regulation (Kuhl and Fuhrmann 1998). Other self-regulatory strategies are also important during goal implementation, e.g.…”

“…Depressive symptoms have been found to be influenced by self-efficacy (Blazer 2002;Luszczynska et al 2005;Bandura 1997) and related concepts, for instance external locus of control , levels of mastery (Jang et al 2002), and everyday competence (Chou 2005). Activation regulation (Kruglanski et al 2000) as well as decision and motivation regulation (Forstmeier and Rüddel 2007;Kuhl and Fuhrmann 1998;Rholes et al 1989) are also related to depressive symptoms and wellbeing.…”

Applying a Behavioral Model Framework for Disaster Recovery Research in Local Public Health Agencies: A Conceptual Approach

“…[22][23][24] A growing body of research has pointed to LPHA workers' perceptions of selfefficacy as a leading affective modifier of this professional 25,26 Of major importance, efficacy perceptions reflect actual behaviors and dispositions. 21,[27][28][29] Specifically, self-efficacy 21 and "response efficacy" (ie, the perception that one's behavior matters in a broader context) 27 have been found to correlate with positive adaptive behaviors and attitudes in the face of novel risks and challenges. 27 Self-efficacy is not one's perception of skill; rather, it is what one believes they can do with their skills under a particular set of conditions.…”