Self-Efficacy, Mindsets, and Goal Setting Theory

Study Notes

The chapter is titled "Do Not Just Dream, Make It Happen" from the book.
The lesson aims to help individuals use Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory, differentiate between growth and fix mindsets, and design personal goals using Lock's Goal Setting Theory.
Students are encouraged to visualize their future selves and outline motivations and plans.
Self-efficacy refers to people's beliefs in their capabilities to influence their lives.
Albert Bandura, the originator of Self-Efficacy Theory, was born in Mundane, Alberta, in 1925, graduated with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology in 1952, and is still an active faculty member at Stanford University.
The Bobodol experiment, a study by Bandura in the 1950s, demonstrated the effectiveness of observational learning.
Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory focuses on how people learn from their environment and each other.
Bandura has received numerous awards and honors, including the National Medal of Science in 2015.
Fixed mindset individuals believe their abilities are innate and fear failure, while growth mindset individuals view abilities as developable and embrace challenges.
Carl Dweck, author of "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success," is a leading researcher in motivation and has a growth mindset.
Individuals' mindsets can be determined by their behavior, and growth mindset individuals are more likely to persevere despite setbacks.
Lock's Goal Setting Theory focuses on setting specific, measurable, and achievable objectives.
Edwin Lock, the originator of Goal Setting Theory, is internationally known for his research on goal setting, was born in 1938, and graduated with a Ph.D. in industrial psychology in 1966.- Dr. Edwin A. Locke is a professor of leadership and motivation at the Robert Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland College Park.
He received his BA from Harvard in 1960 and his PhD in industrial psychology from Cornell University in 1964.
Locke has published over 300 articles and chapters in professional journals on topics such as work motivation, job satisfaction, incentives, and the philosophy of science.
He authored several books on goal setting theory.
Goal setting theory, first introduced by Locke in the 1960s, posits that setting specific, challenging goals leads to superior performance.
The theory is based on the concept of final causality, where goals are the end purpose of an action.
Goals have both internal and external aspects. Internally, they are ideas or concepts, while externally, they refer to the object or condition being sought.
Goals have two broad attributes: content and intensity. Content refers to the object or condition being sought, while intensity refers to the focus and commitment to the goal.
Locke's research findings on goal setting include:
- The more difficult the goal, the greater the achievement.
- The more specific or explicit the goal, the more precisely performance is regulated.
- Specific and difficult goals lead to the highest performance.
- Commitment to goals is most critical when goals are specific and difficult.
- High commitment to goals is attained when the goal is perceived as important and attainable.
- In work situations, social influence, such as supervisor support, can help secure initial and continued commitment to goals.
Goals can influence self-efficacy, choice of past strategies, response to negative feedback, and degree of effort exerted.
Feedback is essential for effective goal pursuit and can help individuals track their progress towards their goals.
Goals can serve as standards of self-satisfaction and promote task interest, reduce boredom, and enhance goal clarity.
Goals can also increase stress and anxiety when used as punishments or intimidations.
The effectiveness of goal setting depends on factors such as experience and training on the task and time pressure.
Goal-setting and goal-related mechanisms can be trained for self-regulation in the absence of formal training.
Goals can be used positively or negatively to influence behavior and performance.
Locke's work on goal setting theory has been influential in management and organizational behavior research and practice.

Description

Test your knowledge on Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory, growth and fix mindsets, as well as Lock's Goal Setting Theory. This quiz covers the originators, key concepts, and the influence of these theories on behavior and performance.