Which concept is based on Bandura's social learning theory ?
Which concept is based on Bandura's social learning theory ?
Options
Correct option: (B) Self-efficacy.
Self-efficacy — a person's belief in their own ability to organise and execute the actions required to produce a desired outcome — is the concept Albert Bandura developed directly from his social learning (social cognitive) theory.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark for correctly marking option (B) Self-efficacy.
Hint
Recall which specific term Bandura is most famous for coining within social learning theory.
Quick Oral Answer
Self-efficacy is the concept from Bandura's social learning theory — it refers to a person's belief in their own ability to successfully perform a specific task.
Analysis & Explanation
Albert Bandura's social learning/social cognitive theory emphasises that people learn through observation, modelling, and their beliefs about their own capabilities.
Why (B) is correct
- Self-efficacy is precisely the term Bandura coined within his social cognitive theory to describe an individual's belief in their capability to succeed at specific tasks, built up through mastery experiences, vicarious learning, social persuasion, and physiological states.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Self-esteem refers to a person's overall evaluation of their own worth, a broader humanistic concept (associated with Carl Rogers/Maslow), not specifically derived from Bandura's social learning theory.
- (C) Self-concept is the overall perception/organised set of beliefs a person holds about themselves, a general term used across many theories, not uniquely Bandura's.
- (D) Identity crisis is Erik Erikson's psychosocial concept from his stage theory of development, unrelated to Bandura's social learning theory.
Common Mistakes
- 1Confusing self-efficacy (belief in one's capability for a specific task) with self-esteem (overall sense of self-worth).
- 2Attributing identity crisis to Bandura instead of correctly recognising it as Erikson's concept.
Interesting Facts
Albert Bandura introduced the concept of self-efficacy in his influential 1977 paper 'Self-efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change'.
Bandura's famous 'Bobo doll' experiments (1961) demonstrated observational learning, laying the foundation for his later work on self-efficacy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is self-efficacy according to Bandura?
Self-efficacy is an individual's belief in their own capacity to execute the behaviours necessary to produce specific performance attainments or achieve a desired outcome.
What are the sources of self-efficacy?
Bandura identified four sources: mastery experiences (past successes), vicarious experiences (observing others succeed), verbal/social persuasion, and physiological/emotional states.