Most of the images of reality on which we base our actions are really based on vicarious experience.
Albert BanduraExcept for events that carry great weight, it is not experience per se, but how they match expectations, that governs their emotional impact
Albert BanduraSelf-appraisals of efficacy are reasonably accurate, but they diverge from action because people do not know fully what they will have to do, lack information for regulating their effort, or are hindered by external factors from doing what they can
Albert BanduraPeople infer high self-efficacy from successes achieved through minimal effort on difficult tasks, but they infer low self-efficacy if they had to work hard under favorable conditions to master relatively easy tasks
Albert Bandura