Coping with the demands of everyday life would be exceedingly trying if one could arrive at solutions to problems only by actually performing possible options and suffering the consequences.
Albert BanduraIf there is any characteristic that is distinctly human, it is the capability for reflective self-consciousness.
Albert BanduraPeople who are insecure about themselves will avoid social comparisons that are potentially threatening to their self-esteem
Albert BanduraPerceived self-efficacy in coping with potential threats leads people to approach such situations anxiously, and experience of disruptive arousal may further lower their sense of efficacy that they will be able to perform skillfully
Albert BanduraLearning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do. Fortunately, most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling: from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action.
Albert Bandura