Martha was assigned to present the bank's financial statement to its shareholders. The management chose Martha because she was good at negotiating and had the skills to tackle any question thrown her way. Although Martha was not confident in the beginning, she managed to pull it off with ease. Using Martha as an example, define self-efficacy and identify and explain its determinants.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Student answers will vary but should demonstrate understanding of self-efficacy. A sample answer follows.

One of the most critical factors that shape efficacy for a task is self-efficacy, defined as the belief that a person has the capabilities needed to execute the behaviors required for task success. Think of self-efficacy as a kind of self-confidence or a task-specific version of self-esteem. Employees who feel more "efficacious" (i.e., self-confident) for a particular task will tend to perceive higher levels of expectancy-and therefore be more likely to choose to exert high levels of effort. When employees consider efficacy levels for a given task, they first consider their past accomplishments-the degree to which they have succeeded or failed in similar sorts of tasks in the past. They also consider vicarious experiences by taking into account their observations and discussions with others who have performed such tasks. Self-efficacy is also dictated by verbal persuasion because friends, coworkers, and leaders can persuade employees that they can "get the job done." Finally, efficacy is dictated by emotional cues, in that feelings of fear or anxiety can create doubts about task accomplishment, whereas pride and enthusiasm can bolster confidence levels.

Martha had emotional cues that made her have fear and anxiety. Once she began her job, her efficaciousness grew and she became more confident.