Developing a Strong Sense of Efficacy

     "There are 4 major ways of developing a strong sense of efficacy:

     1) The most effective one is through mastery experiences. Successes build a robust belief in one’s efficacy. Failures undermine it. If people have only easy successes they are readily discouraged by failure. Development of a resilient sense of efficacy requires experience in overcoming obstacles through perseverant effort. Resilience is also cultivated by learning how to manage failure so it is informative rather than demoralizing.

     2) The second way of creating and strengthening beliefs of personal efficacy is through social modeling. If people see others like themselves succeed by sustained effort they come to believe that they, too, have the capacity to do so. Competent models also build efficacy by conveying knowledge and skills for managing environmental demands.

     3) Social persuasion is the third way of strengthening people’s beliefs in their efficacy. If people are persuaded that they have what it takes to succeed, they exert more effort than if they harbor self-doubts and dwell on personal deficiencies when problems arise. But effective social persuaders do more than convey faith in people’s capabilities. They arrange things for others in ways that bring success and avoid placing them prematurely in situations where they are likely to fail.

     4) People also rely on their physical & emotional states to judge their capabilities. They read their tension, anxiety, & depression as signs of personal deficiency. In activities that require strength and stamina, they interpret fatigue and pain as indicators of low physical efficacy."

        Bandura A. Swimming against the mainstream: the early years from chilly tributary to transformative mainstream. Behav Res Ther 2004; 42(6): 613-30. 

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