Workplace Bullying

Self-efficacy is a term used in psychology, roughly corresponding to a person's belief in their own competence.

It has been defined in a variety of ways: as the belief that one is capable of performing in a certain manner to attain certain goals,[1] as a person’s belief about their capabilities to produce designated levels of performance that exercise influence over events that affect their lives.[2] It is a belief that one has the capabilities to execute the courses of actions required to manage prospective situations. It has been described in other ways as the concept has evolved in the literature and in society: as the sense of belief that one’s actions have an effect on the environment;[3] as a person’s judgment of his or her capabilities based on mastery criteria; a sense of a person’s competence within a specific framework, focusing on the person’s assessment of their abilities to perform specific tasks in relation to goals and standards rather than in comparison with others’ capabilities. Additionally, it builds on personal past experiences of mastery.[4] The idea of self-efficacy is one of the center points in positive psychology; this branch of psychology focuses on factors that create a meaning for individuals. It is believed that our personalized ideas of self-efficacy affect our social interactions in almost every way. Understanding how to foster the development of self-efficacy is a vitally important goal for positive psychology because it can lead to living a more productive and happy life.