Abstract
Two studies assessed the determinants of children's academic self-efficacy beliefs. First, the effects of performance accomplishments, modeling, locus of control, and their interaction were investigated on 504 children's [Mage = 11 years 7 months)self-efficacy beliefs. Contrary to theoretical predictions, performance accomplishments did not account for any of the variance in self-efficacy beliefs, although modeling was highly significant. The significant modeling ×attributional style interaction showed that externally oriented children were more amenable to modeling effects. The second study assessed whether contextual factors together with performance accomplishments and modeling account for more of the variance in self-efficacy beliefs. Modeling was again the most significant predictor of self-efficacy beliefs. However, when performance accomplishments reflected the self-rating of continuous participation in the classroom, self-efficacy was predicted significantly. In addition, a contextual factor, Rule Specification, also predicted self-efficacy beliefs significantly. In general, theoretical predictions were supported, although the hypothesized order of the importance of performance accomplishments and modeling was reversed, and this was attributed to the age of the present sample.
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Keyser, V., Barling, J. Determinants of children's self-efficacy beliefs in an academic environment. Cogn Ther Res 5, 29–39 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01172324
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01172324