ERIC Number: EJ884853
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-May
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-0663
EISSN: N/A
Self-Efficacy and Performance in Mathematics: Reciprocal Determinism in 33 Nations
Williams, Trevor; Williams, Kitty
Journal of Educational Psychology, v102 n2 p453-466 May 2010
Reciprocal determinism is a central premise of Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory. Studies of the relationship between self-beliefs and performance tend to draw on this or related theories and usually endorse the notion of reciprocal determinism at a substantive-theoretical level. However, attempts to model this postulated mutual influence of self-beliefs and performance are few and are focused on the relationship between self-concept and performance. The reciprocal determinism of self-efficacy and performance seems to be without direct empirical support, probably because the longitudinal, repeated-measures data often considered necessary for this purpose are not available. It is possible, though, to model reciprocal effects with cross-sectional data. In the analyses reported in this article, the authors achieved this using a structural equation model in which the mutual influence of self-efficacy and performance in mathematics is represented as a feedback loop. This model was estimated in each of 33 nations on the basis of data on the mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement of 15-year-olds. The model was a good fit to the data in 30 nations and was supportive of reciprocal determinism in 24 of these, suggesting a fundamental psychological process that transcends national and cultural boundaries. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure, and 3 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Feedback (Response), Self Efficacy, Mathematics Achievement, Mathematics Skills, Social Theories, Beliefs, Self Concept, Performance, Cross Cultural Studies, Goodness of Fit, Models, Cognitive Processes, Cultural Influences, Social Cognition, Gender Differences, Socioeconomic Status, Age Differences, Family Structure, Computation, Adolescents
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Program for International Student Assessment
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A