Indeed there are many competent people who are plagued by a sense of inefficacy, and many less competent ones who remain unperturbed by impending threats because they are self-assured of their coping capabilities

Regression analyses show that self-efficacy contributes to achievement behavior beyond the effects of cognitive skills

Such knowledge is probably gained in several ways. One process undoubtedly operates through social comparison of success and failure experiences. Children repeatedly observe their own behavior and the attainments of others

Accomplishment is socially judged by ill defined criteria so that one has to rely on others to find out how one is doing.

Such self-referent misgivings creates stress and undermine effective use of the competencies people possess by diverting attention from how best to proceed to concern over personal failings and possible mishaps

Stringent standards of self-evaluation [can] make otherwise objective successes seem to be personal failures

Misbeliefs in one's inefficacy may retard development of the very subskills upon which more complex performances depend