The major concepts of the self-efficacy theory

by | May 18, 2025 | Analysis

 

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.

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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.


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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.

The self-efficacy theory, developed by Albert Bandura, centers on an individual‘s belief in their capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. This belief influences how people think, feel, motivate themselves, and act. The major concepts of this theory are:

1. Self-Efficacy:

  • Definition: An individual’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task. It’s a cognitive appraisal of one’s competence to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations. Self-efficacy is task-specific and context-dependent, meaning a person can have high self-efficacy in one area and low self-efficacy in another.

  • Patient Situation: Mr. Jones, recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, needs to learn how to check his blood sugar levels. Initially, he feels overwhelmed and doubts his ability to perform the finger-pricking and meter reading accurately. His self-efficacy regarding this specific task is low.

2. Sources of Self-Efficacy:

Bandura identified four primary sources that influence the development and maintenance of self-efficacy beliefs:

* **a. Mastery Experiences (Enactive Attainment):**
    * **Definition:** Personal experiences of success or failure in past performances. Successfully accomplishing a task is the most powerful way to increase self-efficacy. Conversely, repeated failures can lower it, especially if the individual attributes those failures to a lack of ability.

The self-efficacy theory, developed by Albert Bandura, centers on an individual‘s belief in their capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. This belief influences how people think, feel, motivate themselves, and act. The major concepts of this theory are:

1. Self-Efficacy:

  • Definition: An individual’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task. It’s a cognitive appraisal of one’s competence to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations. Self-efficacy is task-specific and context-dependent, meaning a person can have high self-efficacy in one area and low self-efficacy in another.

  • Patient Situation: Mr. Jones, recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, needs to learn how to check his blood sugar levels. Initially, he feels overwhelmed and doubts his ability to perform the finger-pricking and meter reading accurately. His self-efficacy regarding this specific task is low.

2. Sources of Self-Efficacy:

Bandura identified four primary sources that influence the development and maintenance of self-efficacy beliefs:

* **a. Mastery Experiences (Enactive Attainment):**
    * **Definition:** Personal experiences of success or failure in past performances. Successfully accomplishing a task is the most powerful way to increase self-efficacy. Conversely, repeated failures can lower it, especially if the individual attributes those failures to a lack of ability.

* **Patient Situation:** After several training sessions with the nurse, Mr. Jones successfully checks his blood sugar and gets accurate readings. Each successful attempt serves as a **mastery experience**, gradually increasing his confidence and **self-efficacy** in managing this aspect of his diabetes care. However, if he consistently gets error readings due to improper technique, this could lead to negative **mastery experiences** and lower his **self-efficacy**.

* **b. Vicarious Experiences (Observational Learning/Modeling):**
    * **Definition:** Learning by observing others (models) who are perceived as similar to oneself successfully performing a task. Seeing others succeed can raise one's own belief in their ability to do the same. Conversely, observing others fail can lower self-efficacy.

    * **Patient Situation:** Mr. Jones attends a diabetes support group where he sees another person with type 2 diabetes confidently and correctly check their blood sugar. This **vicarious experience** of observing someone similar to him successfully managing the task increases Mr. Jones's belief that he can also do it, thereby enhancing his **self-efficacy**. If he saw someone else struggling significantly with the process, it might negatively impact his **self-efficacy**.

* **c. Verbal Persuasion (Social Persuasion):**
    * **Definition:** Encouragement or discouragement received from others. Believable and positive verbal feedback can boost self-efficacy, convincing individuals that they possess the capabilities to succeed. However, negative persuasion or criticism can undermine self-efficacy. The credibility of the persuader also plays a significant role.

    * **Patient Situation:** Mr. Jones's nurse consistently praises his efforts and provides specific, positive feedback as he learns to check his blood sugar ("You're holding the lancet correctly now," "The reading on the meter is accurate"). This **verbal persuasion** from a trusted healthcare professional reinforces his growing confidence and strengthens his **self-efficacy**. Conversely, if the nurse were dismissive or critical, it could decrease his belief in his abilities.

* **d. Physiological and Emotional States:**
    * **Definition:** The physical and emotional feelings experienced when contemplating or engaging in a task. High levels of stress, anxiety, fatigue, or pain can lower self-efficacy, as these negative states can be interpreted as signs of inability. Positive emotional states can enhance self-efficacy.

    * **Patient Situation:** When Mr. Jones first tries to check his blood sugar, he feels anxious and shaky. These negative **physiological and emotional states** make him doubt his ability to perform the task accurately, thus lowering his **self-efficacy**. As he becomes more comfortable and less anxious with practice, his positive emotional state contributes to a stronger sense of **self-efficacy**. If managing his blood sugar consistently triggers high anxiety, it could continue to undermine his confidence.

Understanding these major concepts of self-efficacy theory provides valuable insights into how individuals approach and manage their health behaviors. By recognizing the sources of self-efficacy, healthcare professionals can develop interventions to enhance patients’ beliefs in their ability to manage their conditions effectively, leading to better adherence and improved health outcomes.

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