Main and interactive effects of controllability and generalisability attributions upon self-efficacy

Objectives: This study examined main effects of controllability and interactive effects of controllability and generalisability attributions upon self-efficacy. Design: A cross-sectional study design was employed with pre-competition self-efficacy assessed at least one week prior to attributions and subsequent self-efficacy. Method: Participants (N 1⁄4 360; mean age 21.64, SD 1⁄4 6.96 years) completed measures of pre-competition self-efficacy (1 h prior to competition 1), attributions (1 h after competition 1) and subsequent self-efficacy (at least one week following competition 1 and 1 h prior to competition 2). All measures were completed in reference to sport competitions. Results: Demographic variables and pre-competition self-efficacy were entered as control variables in moderated hierarchical regression analyses. Results demonstrated that individuals who perceived performance as more successful, had higher subsequent self-efficacy when they generalised (DR 1⁄4 .34, po.01) causes of performance across time (stability: b 1⁄4 .44, po.01), and/or across situations (globality: b 1⁄4 .47, po.01), and/or perceived causes to be unique to themselves (universality: b 1⁄4 .45, po.01). Individuals who perceived performance as less successful, had higher subsequent selfefficacy when they viewed causes of performance as controllable (DR 1⁄4 .08, b 1⁄4 .23, po.01); an interaction (DR 1⁄4 .06, po.05) for controllability and globality (b 1⁄4 .20, po.01) demonstrated that if causes were perceived to be global, higher levels of controllability were associated with higher levels of subsequent self-efficacy. Conclusion: This study provides evidence, following more successful performances, that attributions to generalisability (stability, globality and universality) affect self-efficacy; following less successful performances, globality (a generalisability dimension) moderates the effect of controllability upon self-efficacy. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.