Gaining insight into one's underlying motives, it seems, is more like a belief conversion than a self-discovery process

It is no more informative to speak of self-efficacy in global terms than to speak of nonspecific social behavior

Because of such conjointedness, behavior that exerts no effect whatsoever on outcomes is developed and consistently performed

[Children] receive direct instruction from time to time about the appropriateness of various social comparisons

Many people who gain recognition and fame shape their lives by overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles, only to be catapulted into new social realities over which they have less control and manage badly. Indeed, the annals of the famous and infamous are strewn with individuals who were both architects and victims of their life courses.

Convictions that outcomes are determined by one's own actions can be either demoralizing or heartening, depending on the level of self-judged efficacy. People who regard outcomes as personally determined, but who lack the requisite skills, would experience low self-efficacy and view the activities with a sense of futility

Among the types of thoughts that affect action, none is more central or pervasive than people's judgments of their capabilities to deal effectively with different realities