Self-efficacy as an Important Criterion of Success - Article Example

Self-efficacy as an Important Criterion of Success Self-efficacy is an important criterion of success in any field of human activity. However, in case with career counseling it acquires special significance. Many of those who have had to think about future career opportunities know that the choice is usually done out of a very limited range of professions. There are many interesting professions, yet young people often face a problem of seemingly restricted choice. One may often hear from students that they have chosen the major they felt most confident with. No less often it is possible to hear from young and older people: “If only I could … I would have become a …”. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory points to the root of the evil. People cannot do some things only because they have not studied them. This idea is true about every human activity and field of knowledge. Nancy Betz’s proposition provides an important tool for career counselors. The article deals with the application of self-efficacy theory in career counseling. As Betz explains her interest in Bandura’s theory emerged in 1970s, when she started her research on the barriers preventing women’s pursuit of careers in math and sciences. The research demonstrated that the barriers came from social stereotypes about women’s inferiority in math and technical domains. The self-efficacy theory explained the emergence of the barriers. As it is well known self-efficacy can be called the major factor contributing to one’s success in any area of human activity, while lack of it leads to avoidance of certain behaviors. For instance, women’s avoidance of math related careers is usually associated with a low level of self-efficacy, low expectations in math efficacy being conditioned by the social belief that women are not strong in math. The concept of self-efficacy provides both the theory of origin and the means to deal with the problem using four sources of efficacy information. These four sources defining the formation of efficacy expectations include: performance accomplishments, vicarious learning (modeling), emotional arousal (anxiety) and social persuasion and encouragement. Albert Bandura’s theory suggests that expectations define the outcomes. First, people tend to achieve success only in the areas they feel self-confident about and avoid activities, about which they have low expectations. Second, expectations directly influence the outcomes: people usually get the results they have expected to achieve. High expectations stimulate one’s persistence in overcoming obstacles and contribute to the quality of performance, while low expectations make people ‘give up’ as soon as they face the smallest obstacles. The theory highlights the process people choose their careers. The range of vocations to choose from is restricted by the areas of one’s confidence. If one believes he is not good at drawing, he is likely to avoid careers, where drawing skills are essential. This belief makes a person avoid drawing activity, so that he completely loses a chance to learn how to draw. This limitation substantially reduces one’s choice of careers. The situation becomes even more complex when we take into account that people usually have many self-discouraging beliefs, which makes them lose numerous opportunities and considerably limits the range of professions to choose from. The effect of self-efficacy is so strong that it becomes self-prophecy. All this makes self-efficacy theory very important for the career counseling. Enhancing one’s self-efficacy and enlarging one’s map it is possible to enlarge one’s career options and direct a person towards the career most appropriate for him or her. Moreover, the application of the theory provides an instrument for achieving success in any field of human activity. Applying the four sources of efficacy information a counselor is able to entirely change one’s perception of own abilities. While one’s background serves as the major source of efficacy information, the theory represents a useful tool in the work with all the categories of population, being a great assistance in the work with traditional minorities, such as women in male-dominant careers or ethnic minorities, the two groups suffering of low self-efficacy and employment discrimination. Numerous researches have proved the actuality of the problem and supported the necessity and usefulness of self-efficacy theory in career counseling. It is proved that self-efficacy is essential in career decision-making, performance and persistence. The studied domains can be divided into content domains and process domains. The former, including mathematics, the six Holland themes and the 17 activity dimensions of the Expanded Skills Confidence Inventory (ESCI), are the majors and careers people tend to avoid. The latter, referring to confidence in career making, influence one’s promotions in his career. The self-efficacy theory serves as a highly effective instrument in both cases. At the initial stage of counseling it is necessary to learn about a client’s beliefs about his competences and his real desires about future career, making out what he needs to pursue the career he really likes. This can be done with a help of an informal discussion, as well as such instruments as the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale, the Career Search Self-Efficacy Scale, the Skills Confidence Inventory, etc. Betz underlines that it is preferable to begin self-efficacy intervention early at school, so that to help young people develop new skills by the time they enter colleges. Self-efficacy measures are useful in expansion career options, and in work with the retired. Betz provides useful advices on the counseling intervention. The plan of intervention should include all the four sources of efficacy information. Performance accomplishment has been found the most important part of intervention; however, it should be accompanied by constant encouragement. Acquiring new skills and knowledge, learning things gradually, in small steps and ensured and praised by the counselor clients achieve self-efficacy in the areas, about which they have had no competences. Modeling is the means of enhancing the process of learning, when the learners repeat the strategy of experts and see that a certain activity is available for the representatives of their gender or social and ethnic group. Anxiety management is another instrument helping to reframe a client’s attitudes and behaviors. A counselor’s role is to encourage the client, paying his attention to the success and not failures, helping to set goals and reinforce efforts in achieving those goals, countering beliefs. These components are effective in groups, providing additional examples of successful behaviors and encouragement. Following her own instructions, Betz provides examples of successful implementation of self-efficacy strategy with clients of different ages, and belongin to different groups of population. The self-efficacy theory seems to provide solutions to most of problems career counselors face in their practice. Aimed at the change of one’s expectations and self-perception, it provides an instrument to be used in the cases of increasing career options and improving one’s performance and enhancing advancement in a chosen career. Betz’s detailed description of the stages of intervention serves as guidance to action, and the examples of successful intervention encourage and induce to implement the theory in everyday practice. The application of the theory is effective with all the groups of population and can be especially useful in the work with ‘non-traditional’ employees, women in male-dominant or men in female-dominant professions, ethnic minorities, the retired. People have all the resources to pursue any career they would like and to acquire any knowledge and skills. However, low self-efficacy becomes the barrier depriving people of happiness and the society of talented and self-realized members. The function of a counselor is to help his clients to discover these resources and develop new abilities and competences. The self-efficacy approach is useful not only for the work with clients, but for the development of a counselor himself. Self-confidence is the path to success. When a counselor is not afraid of acquiring new competencies, he is able to create wonders every day, turning cinderellas into princesses and pinocchios into real boys. The article is available at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/120354606.html Read More