Testing a Theory That Explains How Self–Efficacy Beliefs are Formed: Predicting Self–Efficacy Appraisals Across Recreation Activities

Self–efficacy is a frequently studied construct; however, researchers have focused relatively little attention on uncovering the psychological structures and processes that give rise to self–efficacy beliefs and explaining why self–efficacy generalizes. Recently, the knowledge–and–appraisal personality architecture (KAPA; Cervone, 2004) was forwarded as an attempt at elucidating the antecedents of self–efficacy percepts. This article presents the findings from a study that utilized KAPA's framework. In the study, self–efficacy was predicted from the degree to which personal characteristics were thought to influence one's performance of specified recreation activities. Self–efficacy toward recreation activities where personal attributes were thought to help one's performance was significantly stronger than toward recreation activities where attributes were believed to hinder one's performance. Possessing an understanding of what psychological structures and processes contribute to perceptions of personal confidence has practical implications, such as guiding the development of interventions designed to promote strong efficacy toward physically demanding recreation pursuits.