Bouncing back from failure: The interactive impact of perceived controllability and stability on self-efficacy beliefs and future task performance

Citation

Coffee P, Rees T & Haslam SA (2009) Bouncing back from failure: The interactive impact of perceived controllability and stability on self-efficacy beliefs and future task performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 27 (11), pp. 1117-1124. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410903030297

Abstract
There is limited empirical evidence of the relationship between attributions following failure and subsequent task performance. Two studies manipulated the perceived controllability and stability of causes of initial task failure and explored the impact of these factors on perceptions of self-efficacy and follow-up performance. Consistent with previous attributional and social identity theorizing, an induced belief that failure was both beyond control and unlikely to change led to lower self-efficacy and worse performance, relative to conditions in which outcomes were believed to be controllable and/or unstable. These findings point to the resilience of beliefs in personal self-efficacy, but suggest that where opportunities for self-enhancement are precluded, personal self-belief will be compromised and performance will suffer.

Keywords
Attributions; social identity; self-enhancement; behaviour; sport psychology

Journal
Journal of Sports Sciences: Volume 27, Issue 11