Self-efficacy is related to a person’s judgment of their ability to perform well in a particular activity. It is a perception about what one can or cannot do. Self-efficacy has a critical influence on success in different life arenas. A growing body of empirical research reveals that higher levels of self-efficacy are associated with higher performance accomplishments and lower negative emotions. People’s belief about their own efficacy can predict their behavior, their thought patterns, and their emotional reactions under demanding conditions.

Considering the importance of self-efficacy in personal success, accurate estimation of one’s own capabilities is of high value. In fact, acting based on misjudgments of personal capabilities can create adverse consequences. People’s judgment of their self-efficacy influences their choice of action: people avoid activities that they judge to be beyond their capabilities and eagerly pursue the ones that they perceive themselves to be capable of managing them. In addition to the choice of actions, self-efficacy judgments can determine the level of effort people exert to accomplish selected choices and the degree of persistence in face of insurmountable obstacles or difficult situations.

If you would like to check your level of self-efficacy, you can take our general self-efficacy scale below.

Self-Efficacy Scale