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If at First You Don't Succeed: Effects of Failure on General and Task-Specific Self-Efficacy and Performance
Journal article   Peer reviewed

If at First You Don't Succeed: Effects of Failure on General and Task-Specific Self-Efficacy and Performance

Sara Smith, Steven Kass, Rob Rotunda and Sherry Schneider
North American journal of psychology, Vol.8(1), pp.171-182
03/01/2006

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Abstract

This study explored the impact that failing a specific cognitive task had on self-efficacy and future task performance. Participants were 60 university students (15 men, 45 women) ranging in age from 18 to 45. Failure was induced in the experimental group by requiring participants to attempt unsolvable anagrams. Participants completed anagrams both before and after the experimental manipulation, and changes in self-efficacy were measured pre and post manipulation by a general and task-specific self-efficacy scale: Results indicated that the occurrence of failure significantly decreased participants' task-specific self-efficacy and their subsequent task performance, relative to the control group. General self-efficacy was not affected by the failure manipulation. Theoretical implications for self-efficacy research and practical implications for overcoming the effects of failure are discussed.

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