Final answer:
Self-efficacy is the belief in one's competence to complete tasks and it influences motivation, thought patterns, and behavior. High self-efficacy leads to a positive view of challenges and resilience in the face of setbacks, while low self-efficacy can result in avoidance of difficult tasks and preoccupation with potential failures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Self-efficacy refers to the experience of one's own competence. It is an individual's belief in their own capability to complete a task, which may include a previous successful completion of the exact task or a similar task. Albert Bandura, who introduced the concept, emphasized that a strong sense of self-efficacy is crucial for how people think, motivate themselves, and behave.
People with high self-efficacy believe that their goals are within reach, view challenges as tasks to be mastered, and quickly recover from setbacks. Conversely, those with low self-efficacy doubt their abilities and focus on potential failures, which could lead them to avoid challenging tasks. This core belief about personal competence is distinct from self-concept, self-control, and self-esteem, which respectively relate to one's overall view of themselves, their ability to regulate their behaviors, and their overall emotional evaluation of their own worth.