Having a sense of efficacy: considering adolescent and adult perceptions of self and self-in-community in relation to meeting personal and communal challenges

Pretty, Grace and Inglis, R. (2010) Having a sense of efficacy: considering adolescent and adult perceptions of self and self-in-community in relation to meeting personal and communal challenges. In: 27th International Congress of Applied Psychology, 11-16 Jul 2010, Melbourne, Australia.

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Abstract

This review paper reports on a series of five studies that have sought to understand differences and commonalities regarding the constructs of self efficacy and communal
mastery in relation to personal and community problem solving. Adult studies include university students’ management of stress, rural residents’ management of land use issues and volunteering behaviour, and urban residents’ management of water resources. Adolescent studies of mental health and community engagement include
general and clinical samples. Once shared variance for measures of generalised self efficacy (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995) and communal mastery (Hobfoll, Schroder, Wells & Malek, 2002) was removed, the relative significance of the two constructs tended to differ in relation to predicting aspects of personal problem solving (coping and wellbeing) and community problem solving
(volunteering and engagement). For example, while adults’ reported self efficacy was a better predictor of managing worries, communal mastery was more predictive of managing actual stressful events. Adolescents’ reports of communal mastery were a better predictor of mental health indicators and coping than their reports of self efficacy. In regard to environmental issues, self efficacy contributed more to the prediction of pro-environmental
behaviour than communal efficacy. Findings are discussed in terms of advancing conceptual understanding of the two constructs and the importance of promoting the development of communal as well as self efficacy in caring for the good of the one and the good of the many.

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Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Commonwealth Reporting Category E) (Speech)
Refereed:	Yes
Item Status:	Live Archive
Additional Information:	Only abstracts published in conference proceedings, as supplied here.
Depositing User:	Mrs Melissa Jarick
Faculty / Department / School:	Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology
Date Deposited:	27 Aug 2010 03:03
Last Modified:	18 Aug 2011 03:10
Uncontrolled Keywords:	self efficacy, pro-environmental behaviour, communal problem-solving, communal mastery, community engagement
Fields of Research :	17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1701 Psychology > 170113 Social and Community Psychology 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1701 Psychology > 170106 Health, Clinical and Counselling Psychology
Socio-Economic Objective:	E Expanding Knowledge > 97 Expanding Knowledge > 970117 Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
URI:	http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/8625

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