Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s capacity to mobilize the motivation, cognitive resources, and actions necessary to achieve a desired outcome.  Self-efficacy is usually specific to particular tasks or goals rather than a general confidence in one’s ability to do whatever it takes to achieve whatever one wants. This makes perfect sense, given that mastery experiences are the most important source of self-efficacy and nobody aces everything they attempt.

When it comes to mastery and self-efficacy, the bigger the challenge, the greater the potential benefit. As Albert Bandura put it:

“If people experience only easy successes they come to expect quick results and are easily discouraged by failure. A resilient sense of efficacy requires experience in overcoming obstacles through perseverant effort. Some setbacks and difficulties in human pursuits serve a useful purpose in teaching that success usually requires sustained effort. After people become convinced they have what it takes to succeed, they persevere in the face of adversity and quickly rebound from setbacks. By sticking it out through tough times, they emerge stronger from adversity.”

However, success won't increase self-efficacy unless we recognize success, which can be hard when the ultimate goal is a bit hazy or far-off. In these cases, we need to know when we’re heading in the right direction and when we’re making progress and for that we need clear tasks and subgoals. It’s that sense of movement towards a goal that nourishes self-efficacy and keeps us going.

Why is self-efficacy so important to how we approach the challenge of climate change? Because self-efficacy is associated with proactive goal pursuit, persistence, tolerance of uncertainty and risk, creativity, resourcefulness, and resilience. Qualities we all could use in the coming decades.

In terms of generating interest and mobilizing action on climate change, messages about what needs to be done to combat climate change should be mixed with what already is being done and what has been accomplished so far. These more positive messages tap into the expansive spirit of mastery and self-efficacy, which is much more likely to generate excitement and a willingness to help than endless outrage, doom, and panicked urgency. *

Next: Hope

* There’s also this whole literature about the motivational effects of “approach goals” versus “avoidance goals” that is relevant here. Subject for another post.

References:

Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York: Academic Press. (Reprinted in H. Friedman [Ed.], Encyclopedia of mental health. San Diego: Academic Press, 1998).

Liu, D., K. Jiang, et al. (2016). "Motivational mechanisms of employee creativity: A meta-analytic examination and theoretical extension of the creativity literature." Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 137: 236-263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2016.08.001

Schwarzer, R., & Warner, L. M. (2013). Perceived self-efficacy and its relationship to resilience. In S. Prince-Embury & D. H. Saklofske (Eds.), The Springer series on human exceptionality: Resilience in children, adolescents, and adults: Translating research into practice (pp. 139-150). doi: 10.1007/978-1-4614-4939-3_10  

Sweetman, David S.; Luthans, Fred; Avey, James B.; and Luthans, Brett C., "Relationship between positive psychological capital and creative performance" (2010).Management Department Faculty Publications. 139. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/managementfacpub/139