The Sources and Maintenance of Professional Golfers’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs
in The Sport PsychologistClick name to view affiliation
The purpose of this study was to explore the self-efficacy beliefs of male professional golfers (N = 12). Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of interview responses. First, enactive mastery experiences were the most powerful source of self-efficacy. Second, golfers maintained high self-efficacy over time by recalling prior success, strategically framing experiences, and enlisting supportive verbal persuasions from themselves and from others. Finally, self-efficacy influenced professional golfers’ thought patterns, outcome expectations, and emotional states. Findings support and refine the theoretical tenets of Bandura’s social cognitive theory.
Valiante is with the Dept. of Education and Counseling, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL. Morris is with the Dept. of Educational Studies, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary’s City, MD.
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