Bandura's Theory Research Articles

Path analysis of the causal elements in Bandura's theory of self-efficacy and an anxiety-based model of avoidance behavior.

Path analysis of the causal elements in Bandura's theory of self-efficacy and an anxiety-based model of avoidance behavior.

The Effect of Preexisting and Manipulated Self-efficacy on a Competitive Muscular Endurance Task

This investigation was designed to determine the effects of preexisting and manipulated self-efficacy on competitive motor performance. Male (n = 46) and female (n = 46) subjects were classified as being high or low in preexisting self-efficacy before the experiment began and were randomly assigned to either a high- or low-manipulated self-efficacy condition in a 2 × 2 × 2 (sex by self-efficacy by manipulated efficacy) design. Efficacy was manipulated by having subjects compete against a confederate on a muscular leg-endurance task where the confederate was said to be either a varsity track athlete (low-manipulated self-efficacy) or an individual who had had knee surgery (high-manipulated self-efficacy). To create aversive consequences, the experiment was rigged so that subjects lost in competition on the two muscular leg endurance task trials they performed. Both preexisting and manipulated self-efficacy were found to significantly influence performance, with preexisting self-efficacy influencing performance only on Trial 1 and manipulated self-efficacy only on Trial 2. The findings support Bandura's (1977) theory of self-efficacy and are discussed in terms of the permeability of initial efficacy states.

水泳技能の観察学習における能動的および受動的イメージ・リハーサルの効果に関するフィールド・リサーチ

The purpose of this field study was to examine the effects of active and passive image-rehearsals in terms of film modeling on both performing and imaging the skill of breast stroke, from the view points of Bandura's modeling theory and neurophysiological account of functions of image rehearsal. Twenty-eight male undergraduates acted as subjects and participated in one week swimming training (two hours a day). They were randomly divided into two groups, active image-rehearsal group (AIRG) and passive image-rehearsal group (PIRG) on the basis of their performance of swimming distance on the first training day, while fifteen male subjects were randomly selected as control group (CONG) for image tests mentioned later. AIRG and PIRG subjects received different treatments for 3 min. after film modeling from the second day. AIRG subjects were instructed to rehearse in terms of imagining themselves performing the breast stroke, while PIRG subjects were instructed to rehearse in terms of imagining themselves seeing the film model. Dependant variables were the scores of three tests (as to vividness, controllability and swimming image tests) concerning imagery of the breast stroke administered twice for all the subjects and the performance of the breast stroke skill measured twice for AIRG and PIRG subjects in regard to swimming distance and form, on the first (pre-test) and seventh (post-test) training day. As the results, it was revealed that the scores of vividness and controllability tests for AIRG and PIRG subjects significantly increased but not for CONG subjects, while the mean scores of both tests for AIRG subjects were significantly greater than those for PIRG subjects in the post-test session. Concerning the breast stroke skills, the performance of the swimming distance and form for AIRG and PIRG subjects significantly increased, but no significant differences of distance and form between two groups were detected in the pre and post-test sessions. The results of case analysis, however, indicated that, in the post-test session, the performance of swimming distance for AIRG subjects tended to be greater than that for PIRG subjects. These findings seem to suggest that active image-rehearsal in terms of film modeling will facilitate observational learning of motor skills more effectively than passive image-rehearsal in terms of film modeling.

Expectations and Performance: An Empirical Test of Bandura's Self-efficacy Theory

The present investigation was designed to test the predictions of Bandura's (1977) theory of self-efficacy in a competitive, motor-performance situation. Subjects (30 males and 30 females) were randomly assigned to either a high or low self-efficacy condition in a 2 × 2 × 2 (sex × self-efficacy × trials) factorial design. Self-efficacy was manipulated by having subjects compete against a confederate on a muscular leg-endurance task where the confederate was said to be either a varsity ;rack athlete who exhibited higher performance on a related task (low self-efficacy) or an individual who had a knee injury and exhibited poorer performance on a related task (high self-efficacy). Because self-efficacy theory predicts that expectation-performance differences are maximized in the face of obstacles and aversive consequences, the experiment was rigged so that subjects lost in competition to the confederate on both trials. The results supported self-efficacy predictions with the high self-efficacy subjects extending their legs significantly longer than low self-efficacy subjects. Moreover, after failing on the first trial, high self-efficacy subjects extended their legs for a longer time than low self-efficacy subjects on the second trial. A postexperimental questionnaire revealed significant differences in cognitive states (e.g., expectations, attributions, self-talk) between high and low self-efficacy subjects, as well as between males and females. Results are discussed in terms of learned helplessness and differing patterns of sex-role socialization.

Bandura's theory of self‐efficacy: A set of common sense theorems

Bandura's (1977) theory of self‐efficacy is translated into non‐technical language and is shown to consist of logically necessary rather than empirically testable statements. As an alternative to the dominant empiricist view, it is argued that valid theories in psychology are explications of conceptual relationship imbedded in ordinary language (common sense). This conceptual network is anterior to both observation and theorizing. The analogy between the tasks of pre‐Euclidean geometry and contemporary psychology is explored. The tasks are seen as involving explication of our implicit concepts of respectively space and people. One consequence of the stated view is that much psychological research is pointless since it attempts to verify logically necessary statements by empirical methods.

Modification through modeling and reinforcement in leaderless groups.

This study compared the effects of modeling plus reinforcement (MR), reinforcement alone (R), and demand characteristics (D) on individual verbal output in a leaderless group discussion. Seventy-two male and female volunteers from undergraduate psychology courses (mean age 20.7 years) were assigned to three-person groups in the three conditions and participated in two 10 minute discussions. Ss who spoke the least in the first discussion were chosen as target persons (TPs). TPs in the R condition were reinforced for talking and punished for silence. TPs in the MR condition received the same treatment but were also exposed to a leadership modeling film. TPs in the D condition received no reinforcement, but were encouraged to become the group's leader. All conditions showed increases in verbral output, but the MR was superior to both the R (p less than .05) and D (p less than .01) conditions. The results were interpreted as consistent with Bandura's mediational theory of modeling.