What is self-efficacy? How is it related to locus of control?

What is self-efficacy? How is it related to locus of control?

Self-efficacy is how competent you feel to do something. Some people have high self-efficacy whereas others do not. If your level of self-efficacy is high, you tend to be more persistent when presented with difficult tasks (in other words you try harder); you will also tend to be less anxious and depressed than someone with low self-efficacy; and you will tend to be more academically successful (in other words you will get higher grades and be more likely to graduate).

Locus of control is the extent to which people perceive outcomes as internally controllable by their own efforts and actions (internal locus of control), or as externally controlled by chance or outside forces (external Locus of control)

How many times have you said after some negative event: "I've got back luck"? What you are saying here is that you believe that chance or fate controlled what happened to you. Think back to that car accident, or other kind of accident that you had. Did you beat yourself up over it? Did you say to yourself: "I should have known better, I should have been driving slower, or I should have taken the other route"? If you did, then you are demonstrating an internal locus of control. If you believe you are in command of what happens to you, this is an internal locus of control. If you believe that others or fate determine what happens to you, then you are displaying an external locus of control.

Just like with self-efficacy, if you have an internal locus of control you are much more likely to take charge of a situation and believe you determine your own fate. People with an internal locus of control are more likely to do well in school, stop smoking, wear seat belts, use birth control effectively, and deal with relationship problems in a constructive manner. People that have an external locus of control do not do as well in these kinds of situations. They assume things will work out on their own, and do not (or are less likely to) play an active role in solving the problem.