Final answer:
An individual's belief in their capability to perform a task is known as self-efficacy, which entails confidence in managing motivation and behavior in pursuit of goals.
Step-by-step explanation:
An individual's belief that he or she is capable of performing a task is known as self-efficacy. This concept, which was significantly developed by Albert Bandura, reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one's own motivation, behavior, and social environment. For instance, someone with high self-efficacy is more likely to embrace challenging tasks and persist in the face of setbacks, while someone with low self-efficacy might doubt their skills and avoid difficult tasks. Self-efficacy differs from concepts like locus of control, which concerns whether people attribute their successes and failures to internal or external factors. It is a core part of social cognitive theory and plays a crucial role in how individuals approach goals, tasks, and challenges.