In Bandura's theory, self-efficacy is best defined as which of the following?

In Bandura's theory, self-efficacy is best defined as which of the following?

• A. Confidence in one's own ability to perform actions
• B. Tendency to imitate others
• C. Belief that rewards determine behavior
• D. Drive to minimize effort

Answer: (A)

Self-efficacy is the belief that you can actually perform the actions required to achieve a goal. This belief guides how you approach tasks, how much effort you invest, how long you persist in the face of difficulties, and how you bounce back from setbacks. It’s task-specific, not a general feeling about yourself, and it’s shaped by experiences like mastering a task, watching others succeed, receiving encouragement, and your physical and emotional state in the moment. That helps explain why the best description is confidence in your own ability to perform actions. The other ideas describe imitation, rewards-driven behavior, or a tendency to minimize effort, which aren’t what self-efficacy refers to.

Self-efficacy is the belief that you can actually perform the actions required to achieve a goal. This belief guides how you approach tasks, how much effort you invest, how long you persist in the face of difficulties, and how you bounce back from setbacks. It’s task-specific, not a general feeling about yourself, and it’s shaped by experiences like mastering a task, watching others succeed, receiving encouragement, and your physical and emotional state in the moment. That helps explain why the best description is confidence in your own ability to perform actions. The other ideas describe imitation, rewards-driven behavior, or a tendency to minimize effort, which aren’t what self-efficacy refers to.