Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T04:36:36.290Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Reactivity of Measures of Self-efficacy in Tasks Involving Assertiveness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Christina Lee
Affiliation:
University of Adelaide

Extract

Self-efficacy is normally measured by a pencil-and-paper test, and two separate studies involving snake phobics have indicated that this test does not have significant reactive effects on related behaviour. Two experiments are reported which examine the possibilities of measurement reactivity with a different type of behaviour, the social skill of assertiveness. In the first experiment, 46 non-assertive female students served as subjects. Measuring efficacy was shown to have reactive effects on later behaviour. These reactive effects showed consistent changes during the course of an assertiveness training programme, with the effect of measurement being initially to enhance performance and later to produce slight decrements. A second experiment examined the possibility that this change was related to differing levels of assertiveness. Sixty female students of varying levels of assertiveness participated in this study; again, reactive effects occurred, but they were not related to level of assertiveness. The question of possible therapeutic advantages and disadvantages of using efficacy measures at various points during therapy was raised.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alberti, R. E. and Emmons, M. L. (1974). Your perfect right, California: Impact.Google Scholar
Alden, L. and Cappe, R. (1981). Non-assertiveness: skill deficit or selective self-evaluation? Behavior Therapy 12, 107114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavior change. Psychological Review 84, 191215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bandura, A. (1978). Reflections on self efficacy. Advances in Behaviour Research and Therapy 1, 237269.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bandura, A. (1979). On ecumenism in research perspectives. Cognitive Therapy and Research 3, 245248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bandura, A. (1982). Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist 37, 122147.Google Scholar
Bandura, A. and Adams, N. E. (1977). Analysis of self-efficacy theory of behavioural change. Cognitive Therapy and Research 1, 287310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bandura, A., Adams, N. E., Hardy, A. B. and Howells, G. N. (1980). Tests of the generality of self efficacy theory. Cognitive Therapy and Research 4, 3966.Google Scholar
Bandura, A. and Schunk, D. H. (1981). Cultivating competence, self-efficacy, and intrinsic interest through proximal self-motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 41, 586598.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Biran, M. and Wilson, G. T. (1981). Treatment of phobic disorders using cognitive and exposure methods: a self-efficacy analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 49, 886899.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Borkovek, T. D. (1978). Self-efficacy: cause or reflection of behavior change? Advances in Behaviour Research and Therapy 1, 163170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Condiotte, M. M. and Lichtenstein, E. (1981). Self-efficacy and relapse in smoking cessation programs. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 49, 648658.Google Scholar
Eysenck, H. J. (1978). Expectations as causal elements in behaviour change. Advances in Behaviour Research and Therapy 1, 171175.Google Scholar
Galassi, J. P., DeLo, J. S., Galassi, M. D. and Bastien, S. (1974). The college self-expression scale: a measure of assertiveness. Behavior Therapy 5, 165171.Google Scholar
Gambrill, E. D. and Richey, C. A. (1975). An assertion inventory for use in assessment and research. Behavior Therapy 6, 550561.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gauthier, J. and Ladouceur, R. (1981). The influence of self-efficacy reports on performance. Behavior Therapy 12, 436439.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenhouse, S. W. and Geisser, S. (1959). On methods in the analysis of profile data. Psychometrika 24, 95112.Google Scholar
Kazdin, A. E. (1978). Conceptual and assessment issues raised by self-efficacy theory. Advances in Behaviour Research and Therapy 1, 177185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kazdin, A. E. (1980). Covert and overt rehearsal and elaboration during treatment in the development of assertive behavior. Behaviour Research and Therapy 18, 191201.Google Scholar
Kazdin, A. E. (1982). The separate and combined effects of covert and overt rehearsal in developing assertive behavior. Behaviour Research and Therapy 20, 1725.Google Scholar
Lee, C. (1982). Self-efficacy as a predictor of performance in competitive gymnastics. Journal of Sport Psychology 4, 405409.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacDonald, M. L. (1978). Measuring assertion: a model and method. Behavior Therapy 9, 889899.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Owen, N., Ewins, A., Bullock, M. and Lee, C. (1982). Adherence, relapse and health-related behaviours. In Behavioural Medicine, Vol. 2, Sheppard, J. L. (Ed.), Sydney: Cumberland College.Google Scholar
Poser, E. G. (1978). The self-efficacy concept: some theoretical, procedural and clinical implications. Advances in Behaviour Research and Therapy 1, 193202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rathus, S. A. (1973). A 30-item schedule for assessing assertive behaviour. Behavior Therapy 4, 398406.Google Scholar
Schwartz, R. M. and Gottman, J. M. (1976). Towards a task analysis of assertive behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 44, 910920.Google Scholar
Sherman, S. J. (1980). On the self-erasing nature of errors of prediction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 39, 211221.Google Scholar
Telch, M. J., Bandura, A.Vinciguerra, P., Agras, A. and Stout, A. L. (1982). Social demand and congruence between self-efficacy and performance. Behavior Therapy 13, 694701.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tryon, W. W. (1981). A methodological critique of Bandura's self-efficacy theory of behaviour change. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 12, 113114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wolpe, J. and Lazarus, A. A. (1966). Behaviour Therapy Techniques: A Guide to the Treatment of Neuroses. London: Pergamon.Google Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.