Hope, Self-Efficacy, and Optimism

Author(s):  
Kevin L. Rand

This chapter reviews the conceptual similarities and differences among Snyder’s (1994) hope, Carver and Scheier’s optimism, and Bandura’s self-efficacy. Unlike optimism, hope is focused on beliefs about the self. Unlike self-efficacy, hope is a generalized belief and involves the determination to achieve one’s goals. This chapter also reviews the existing empirical literature, which shows that hope, optimism, and self-efficacy are structurally distinct and differentially related to important life outcomes, including psychological adjustment, coping, and goal-directed performance. The chapter concludes with a discussion of further research needed to clarify the causal relationships among hope, optimism, and self-efficacy and to differentiate hope from other positive psychology constructs.

Author(s):  
Tatyana Petrovna Opekina ◽  
Natalya Sergeevna Shipova

This article presents the results of a theoretical study of self-realisation, self-actualisation and self-efficacy phenomena. The main aspects of understanding and correlating these phenomena in classical and modern Russian and foreign psychology are described. The highlighted concepts related to the phenomenon of self-realisation, both in the field of psychology and pedagogy. The similarities and differences of the self-realisation, self-actualisation, self-efficacy phenomena, as well as their correlation and comparison are presented. A comparative analysis of the studied concepts is given. According to the results of the theoretical analysis, the processes of self-realisation and self-actualisation are based on the inner motivation of a person to grow, develop personality, realise its potential. Both of these processes, due to their subjectivity, are difficult to observe and measure from the outside. We have highlighted the main differences, consisting in a greater awareness and orderliness of the process of self-realisation, as well as its predominantly "social" orientation, while self-actualisation is often associated with the struggle with external forces, the desire for self-realisation is rather approved and supported by the society. The concepts of self-realisation and self-efficacy are united by their inherent representation in the external plane of the life of the individual, as well as awareness, activity, goal-setting, and an orientation towards achieving success. In contrast to self-efficacy, self-release is a process rather than a sustainable phenomenon, and can be expressed both externally and internally through a connection with the value-semantic, motivational spheres of the individual.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianping Hu ◽  
Lei Quan ◽  
Yanwei Wu ◽  
Jia Zhu ◽  
Mingliang Deng ◽  
...  

Important strides have been made toward understanding the relationship between self-efficacy and life satisfaction. However, existing studies have largely focused on work and academic domains, leaving self-efficacy in the finance domain less frequently investigated. The present study applied the self-efficacy construct to the finance domain, namely “financial self-efficacy” (FSE), and tested the sequential mediating roles of high standards tendency and investment satisfaction in the relationship between FSE and general life satisfaction. A total of 323 employees from finance-related businesses completed anonymous questionnaires regarding FSE, high standards tendency, investment satisfaction, and general life satisfaction. Results indicated that FSE influenced general life satisfaction through investment satisfaction, and sequentially through high standards tendency and investment satisfaction. These results provide contributions to the current literature on life satisfaction, and positive psychology literature by shedding light on the roles of high standards tendency and investment satisfaction in the relation between FSE and general life satisfaction.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Narsimulu

There has been long term and systematic denial of opportunities to people with disabilities, particularly in fields such as education, employment, housing, transport, cultural life and access to public places and services. The mistreatment and oppression inflicted on individuals who have some form of disability or impairment has been well documented. The present study analyzed associations of general self-efficacy beliefs with psychological adjustment, academic achievement, and attainment of developmental tasks in various hostels and homes with physical impairment and same group peers without physical impairment. In this study the main objective is to compare the self efficacy of physically impaired and without impaired. Between-group differences in levels of self-efficacy beliefs were small. On average, higher self-efficacy beliefs predicted positive change in psychological adjustment (life-satisfaction and emotional symptoms) and academic achievement as well as greater progress in the attainment of developmental tasks of adolescence. However, for emotional symptoms and the discrepancy between desired and present attainment of developmental tasks we found such an effect only for students without physical impairment. This paper also presented by me in National Conference on “Challenges of Contemporary Life – Role of Positive Psychology & 9th Annual Conference of Indian Association of Mental Health from 22nd to 24th January 2015 and not publish myself the same in any journal. We conclude that students with physical impairment may benefit from measures that both promote supportive external conditions for goal attainment and increase the self-management skills needed to translate self-efficacy beliefs into accomplishment of goals and related positive feelings.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tijn van Diemen ◽  
Eline WM Scholten ◽  
Ilse JW van Nes ◽  
Jan HB Geertzen ◽  
Marcel WM Post ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND People with recently acquired spinal cord injury (SCI) experience changes in physical, social and psychological aspects of their lives. In the last decades, attention has grown for aspects of self-management and self-efficacy in SCI research. However, we still do not know what the self-management and self-efficacy outcomes of first rehabilitation are and whether utilizing these skills may prevent secondary health conditions (SHCs) and increase participation and psychological adjustment early after SCI. OBJECTIVE To describe the course and determinants of self-management and self-efficacy during and after first SCI rehabilitation; and to determine theory-based associations between self-management and self-efficacy with SHCs, participation and psychological adjustment. METHODS Multicenter prospective longitudinal cohort study. All people with a newly acquired SCI admitted to one of the 8 specialized SCI rehabilitation centers in the Netherlands will be considered for inclusion in this study. Main assessments will take place during the first and last week of admission and 3, 6 and 12 months after discharge. The target sample is 250 participants. The primary outcomes are self-management (knowledge and execution of self-care) and self-efficacy (confidence in the ability to manage the consequences of SCI and of self-care). Secondary outcome measures are SHCs, participation and psychological adjustment to SCI. RESULTS The first results with the complete set of data are expected in June 2019. CONCLUSIONS This protocol describes the SELF-SCI cohort study investigating self-management and self-efficacy of initial inpatient SCI rehabilitation. Second, associations will be investigated with SHCs, participation and psychological adjustment early after onset of SCI, until 1 year after discharge. The results will be used to test theories about motivation to perform health-promoting behaviors and adjustment to SCI.


2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 164-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sundström

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of a self-report scale for assessing perceived driver competence, labeled the Self-Efficacy Scale for Driver Competence (SSDC), using item response theory analyses. Two samples of Swedish driving-license examinees (n = 795; n = 714) completed two versions of the SSDC that were parallel in content. Prior work, using classical test theory analyses, has provided support for the validity and reliability of scores from the SSDC. This study investigated the measurement precision, item hierarchy, and differential functioning for males and females of the items in the SSDC as well as how the rating scale functions. The results confirmed the previous findings; that the SSDC demonstrates sound psychometric properties. In addition, the findings showed that measurement precision could be increased by adding items that tap higher self-efficacy levels. Moreover, the rating scale can be improved by reducing the number of categories or by providing each category with a label.


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