Self-appraisals are influenced by evaluative reactions of others.

A problem of future research is to clarify how young children learn what type of social comparative information is most useful for efficacy evaluation

Reasonably accurate appraisal of one's own capabilities is, therefore, of considerable value in successful functioning. Large misjudgments of personal efficacy in either direction have consequences. People who grossly overestimate their capabilities undertake activities that are clearly beyond their reach. As a result, they get themselves into considerable difficulties, undermine their credibility, and suffer needless failures. Some of the missteps, of course, can produce serious, irreparable harm

Learning 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.

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

Measures of self-precept must be tailored to the domain of psychological functioning being explored.

In the self-appraisal of efficacy, there are many sources of information that must be processed and weighed through self-referent thought