Activity 3
Sources of Self-Efficacy
A person’s self-efficacy is largely informed by four sources.11 These are defined in the table below.
| Self-efficacy source | Self-efficacy is strengthened when… | Self-efficacy is weakened when… |
|---|---|---|
| Mastery experience (“I’ve done this before.”) |
We perform a specific task successfully, especially when we achieve this by overcoming obstacles and persevering in the task. | We experience failure trying to perform a specific task, and we are easily discouraged by setbacks. |
| Vicarious experience or social modeling (“I’ve seen others, including others ‘like me,’ do this before.”) | We witness other people successfully completing a task, especially peers who are similar to us and people we consider to be role models. | We observe others fail in a task despite high effort, or we lack role models demonstrating that “people like us” can accomplish the task. |
| Social persuasion (“Others have told me that I can do this.”) | We receive verbal encouragement from others, especially from people we respect and admire. Their confidence in our abilities helps us overcome self-doubt, encouraging us to refocus and give our best effort. | We are persuaded that we lack the capabilities to succeed in task. This prompts us to give up easily when difficulties arise, or to avoid challenging tasks altogether. |
| Emotional/physiological state
(“I feel energized when I’m doing this.”) |
We experience positive cues (elevated mood, high energy, etc.) when faced with a specific task, which boosts our confidence to complete it. | We experience negative cues (depressed mood, tension, anxiety, etc.) when faced with a specific task, and we interpret these as signs that we are less capable and likely to underperform. |
