TASK, DOMAIN, AND GENERAL EFFICACY - A REEXAMINATION OF THE SELF-EFFICACY SCALE

Self-efficacy is typically viewed as task-specific. Bandura also discussed the concept at a ''domain-linked'' level and general level. Sherer arid his colleagues developed the Self-efficacy Scale to measure general self-efficacy expectancies in education/vocation and social areas. A reexamination of the Self-efficacy Scale indicated that the scale was more intricate than originally reported. It captured aspects of strength, magnitude, and generality of efficacy. The scale showed appropriate relationships to other personality measures. Criterion validity was established as the scale differentiated performance expectations. Evidence for the concept of domain efficacy was reported. The Self-efficacy Scale was a good measure for domain efficacy in the academic area; the scale has not yet been verified as a general efficacy scale. Research should be directed toward exploring the role of the total concept of efficacy in the cognitive process.