Final answer:
The level of confidence in one's own abilities is referred to as self-efficacy, a critical factor for motivation and managing challenges across various aspects of life, including education and career.
Step-by-step explanation:
Your level of confidence in your own abilities is known as self-efficacy. This term describes an individual's belief in their capability to achieve goals and complete tasks. It can influence motivation and the approach to various situations, including educational and career challenges. People with high self-efficacy see setbacks as temporary and maintain a positive view of challenges, whereas people with low self-efficacy may doubt their abilities and focus on negative outcomes.
Dunning-Kruger Effect and Self-Efficacy
The Dunning-Kruger effect highlights a pattern where novices may overestimate their abilities, demonstrating unwarranted epistemic overconfidence. Experts, on the other hand, tend to be more accurate in assessing their abilities, although they may underestimate their expertise relative to others. Understanding this psychological phenomenon can help individuals be more cautious in assessing their skills, particularly in new areas of learning.
Locus of Control
Another related concept is the locus of control, as proposed by Julian Rotter. This pertains to whether you believe your outcomes are influenced primarily by your own actions (internal locus of control) or by external forces beyond your control (external locus of control). A strong internal locus of control is associated with better academic and career achievements, as individuals believe their efforts directly influence their success.