Major concepts of the self-efficacy theory and how are they defined

by | Jan 22, 2025 | Essays

 

What are the major concepts of the self-efficacy theory and how are they defined? Describe a patient situation that highlights each of the major concepts as defined.

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


This question has been answered

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.

Self-Efficacy Theory

Self-efficacy theory, developed by Albert Bandura, emphasizes an individual’s belief in their capability to successfully execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations. It’s a key factor in how people feel, think, motivate themselves, and behave.

Here are the major concepts of self-efficacy theory:

  1. Mastery Experiences:

    • Definition: Successful past experiences build strong self-efficacy.
    • Patient Situation: A patient with a history of successfully managing their diabetes through diet and exercise will likely have high self-efficacy in maintaining their blood sugar levels. They believe in their ability to overcome challenges and adhere to their treatment plan.

  2. Vicarious Experiences:

    • Definition: Observing others successfully accomplish a task can increase self-efficacy.
    • Patient Situation: A patient recovering from a stroke observes another patient who has made significant progress in their rehabilitation. Witnessing the other patient’s success can inspire the first patient and increase their belief in their own ability to recover

This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.

Self-Efficacy Theory

Self-efficacy theory, developed by Albert Bandura, emphasizes an individual’s belief in their capability to successfully execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations. It’s a key factor in how people feel, think, motivate themselves, and behave.

Here are the major concepts of self-efficacy theory:

  1. Mastery Experiences:

    • Definition: Successful past experiences build strong self-efficacy.
    • Patient Situation: A patient with a history of successfully managing their diabetes through diet and exercise will likely have high self-efficacy in maintaining their blood sugar levels. They believe in their ability to overcome challenges and adhere to their treatment plan.

  2. Vicarious Experiences:

    • Definition: Observing others successfully accomplish a task can increase self-efficacy.
    • Patient Situation: A patient recovering from a stroke observes another patient who has made significant progress in their rehabilitation. Witnessing the other patient’s success can inspire the first patient and increase their belief in their own ability to recover

  1. Social Persuasion:

    • Definition: Encouragement and support from others can boost self-efficacy.
    • Patient Situation: A supportive therapist or family member can provide encouragement and positive feedback to a patient struggling with anxiety. This verbal persuasion can help the patient believe in their ability to manage their anxiety symptoms.

  2. Physiological and Emotional States:

    • Definition: Physical and emotional states can influence self-efficacy. For example, feeling anxious or stressed can decrease self-efficacy, while feeling calm and confident can increase it.
    • Patient Situation: A patient preparing for surgery may experience anxiety, which can negatively impact their self-efficacy in coping with the procedure and recovery. Relaxation techniques or support from loved ones can help manage these emotions and enhance self-efficacy.

In Summary

Self-efficacy plays a crucial role in various aspects of health and well-being. By understanding these key concepts, healthcare professionals can effectively support patients in developing and maintaining strong self-efficacy beliefs, which can lead to improved health outcomes, increased adherence to treatment plans, and better overall quality of life.

This question has been answered.

Get Answer