Burnt of Stal and Clinical Prychlogy, Val 4 No.3, 1986, pp. 359-373 JHE EXPLANATORY AND PREDICTIVE | : ‘SCOPE OF SELF-EFFICACY THEORY. ALBERT, BANDURA . : a Stanford University... . - at “Cofivargent evidence from the diverse linés Of research réported in the present special issue of this journal attests to'the explanatory and predictive generality of -selfefficacy theory. This commentary addresses itself to conceptual and empirical “issues conceming the nature and function of self-percepts of efficacy. Progress in understanding human functioning is best achieved by theo- ties that have a broad range of applicability: To appeal to separate con- “ceptual schemes for each aspect of functioning does not produce much of an advance in the field. The diverse articles comprising the present “special issixe of this journal attest to the integrative scope of self-efficacy theory and its value in stimulating reséarch that clarifies the contribu- tion of self-referent thought to human motivatiori, affect, and action. CONVERGENT EVIDENCE FROM DIVERGENT TESTS “The explanatory and predictive generality of a theory are strengthened by evidence that divergent procedures produce convergent results, The research reported:in this issue presents a rich diversity of operations. Perceived self-efficacy is altered in varied ways—by direct mastery ex- periences; by soclal-comparative information conveyed through vicari- ous modes of influence; and by social persuasion in the form of bogus feedback, attributional evaluations, and proffered incentives. The do- mains of psychological functioning to which the theory has been ap- plied are also remarkably diverse. The studies encompass, among other My. own research as reported in this paper was supported by Public Health Research Grant No. MH 5162-24 from the National Institute of Mental Health. Requests for reprints. be sent to Albert Bandura, Department of Peyehélogy, Building 420, Jordan Hall, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305.” 359 Copyright © 2010 ProQuest LIC. All rights reserved, Copyright © Guilford Publications