This document discusses social cognitive theory and the concept of self-efficacy. It defines self-efficacy as one's beliefs in their own capabilities. Individuals with high self-efficacy are more likely to persist at tasks and set high goals. Self-efficacy can come from mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and physiological states. High self-efficacy positively impacts leadership, empowerment, and collective efficacy within groups.

1. Organizational Behavior
Motivation theories Part 3
Motivational aspects of
social cognitive theory

2. Self-efficacy
 Self-efficacy refers to “beliefs in one’s
capabilities to organize and execute the
courses of action required to produce
given attainments” (Bandura, 1997, p. 3)
 One not only needs necessary knowledge
and skills for performing a task, but also
needs high self-efficacy for performing
that task successfully.

3. Consequences of high self-efficacy
 The more people believe in their capabilities for given domains and tasks, the
more likely they will put effort into and persist with their activities, especially
when there are failures (Bandura, 1997).
 An individual’s self-efficacy also influences what he or she chooses to do.
 Leaders high in leadership efficacy experience low level of anxiety (Hoyt et al.,
2003).
 Leaders’ self-efficacy for leadership influence follower’s self-efficacy (Hoyt et al.,
2003).
 People with high self-efficacy are more likely to set high level goals, and in turn,
may have high achievement.

4. Sources of self-efficacy
 Mastery experiences: Successful experiences are likely to enhance self-
efficacy, while failures may reduce self-efficacy. These are the most influential
sources of self-efficacy.
 Vicarious experiences: refer to those by which people appraise their
capabilities in relation to others’ attainments. The information acquired from
these experiences is likely to be more influential for one’s self-efficacy when
the others are similar to the individual.
 Verbal persuasion: persuasion that one possesses certain capabilities can
affect self-efficacy. However, verbal persuasion may be ineffective when it is
used alone and inconsistent with other sources, especially mastery
experiences.
 Physical and affective states: Personal efficacy may also be appraised
when people interpret their physiological or affective states. People may judge
their fatigue, aches, pains, and tensions to be signs of physical or affective
incapability.

5. Empowerment and self-efficacy
 Dimensions of empowerment:
 Meaning
 Self-determination
 Self-efficacy
 Impact

6. Collective efficacy
 According to Bandura (1997),
“collective efficacy is defined as a
group’s shared belief in its conjoint
capabilities to organize and execute
the course of action required to
produce given levels of attainments”
(p. 477).
 Sources of collective efficacy can be
similar to sources of self-efficacy.