Editing Locus of control (section)

==Self-efficacy==
{{Further|Self-efficacy}}
Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/siegle/SelfEfficacy/section1.html | title=An Introduction to Self-Efficacy | publisher=Neag Center for Creativity, Gifted Education, and Talent Development | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019063232/http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/Siegle/SelfEfficacy/section1.html | archive-date=October 19, 2015 }}</ref> It is a related concept introduced by [[Albert Bandura]], and has been measured by means of a psychometric scale.{{sfn|Sherer| Maddux | Mercandante|Prentice-Dunn|1982}} It differs from locus of control by relating to competence in circumscribed situations and activities (rather than more general cross-situational beliefs about control). Bandura has also emphasised differences between self-efficacy and [[self-esteem]], using examples where low self-efficacy (for instance, in ballroom dancing) are unlikely to result in low self-esteem because competence in that domain is not very important (see [[Valence (psychology)|valence]]) to an individual. Although individuals may have a high internal health locus of control and feel in control of their own health, they may not feel efficacious in performing a specific treatment regimen that is essential to maintaining their own health.<ref name="JL reff 5">{{cite journal |doi=10.1007/s10578-010-0173-6 |pmid=20204497 |title=Locus of Control and Self-Efficacy: Potential Mediators of Stress, Illness, and Utilization of Health Services in College Students |journal=Child Psychiatry & Human Development |volume=41 |issue=4 |pages=353–370 |year=2010 |last1=Roddenberry |first1=Angela |last2=Renk |first2=Kimberly |s2cid=997657 }}</ref> Self-efficacy plays an important role in one's health because when people feel that they have self-efficacy over their health conditions, the effects of their health becomes less of a stressor.

Smith (1989) has argued that locus of control only weakly measures self-efficacy; "only a subset of items refer directly to the subject's capabilities".{{sfn|Smith|1989| p=229}} Smith noted that training in [[Coping|coping skills]] led to increases in self-efficacy, but did not affect locus of control as measured by Rotter's 1966 scale.