0390435333.pdf

Feist−Feist: Theories of

Personality, Seventh

Edition

V. Learning Theories 16. Bandura: Social

Cognitive Theory

© The McGraw−Hill^497

Companies, 2009

switch, these patients will probably not enhance their self-efficacy for this activity.
Also, social persuasion is most effective when combined with successful perfor-
mance. Persuasion may convince someone to attempt an activity, and if performance
is successful, both the accomplishment and the subsequent verbal rewards will in-
crease future efficacy.

Physical and Emotional States The final source of efficacy is people’s physiolog-
ical and emotional states (Bandura, 1997). Strong emotion ordinarily lowers per-
formance; when people experience intense fear, acute anxiety, or high levels of
stress, they are likely to have lower efficacy expectancies. An actor in a school play
knows his lines during rehearsal but realizes that the fear he feels on opening night
may block his recall. Incidentally, for some situations, emotional arousal, if not too
intense, is associated with increasedperformance, so that moderate anxiety felt by
that actor on opening night may raise his efficacy expectancies. Most people, when
not afraid, have the ability to successfully handle poisonous snakes. They merely have
to grasp the snake firmly behind the head; but for many people, the fear that accom-
panies snake handling is debilitating and greatly lowers their performance expectancy.
Psychotherapists have long recognized that a reduction in anxiety or an in-
crease in physical relaxation can facilitate performance. Arousal information is re-
lated to several variables. First, of course, is the level of arousal—ordinarily, the
higher the arousal, the lower the self-efficacy. The second variable is the perceived
realism of the arousal. If one knows that the fear is realistic, as when driving on an
icy mountain road, personal efficacy may be raised. However, when one is cognizant
of the absurdity of the phobia—for example, fear of the outdoors—then the emo-
tional arousal tends to lower efficacy. Finally, the nature of the task is an added

Chapter 16 Bandura: Social Cognitive Theory 491

Verbal persuasion can raise or lower self-efficacy.