Quotes From Albert Bandura on His Theories

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Albert Bandura is best known for his theory ofself-efficacyand his work insocial learning, including his famous “Bobo doll” experiment. In addition, Bandura served as President of theAmerican Psychological Associationin 1974 and he is a Professor Emeritus at Stanford University. Below are just a few quotations from Bandura’s writings.Quotes on Self-Efficacy"Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the sources of action required to manage prospective situations.“FromSelf Efficacy in Changing Societies,1995"If efficacy beliefs always reflected only what people can do routinely they would rarely fail but they would not set aspirations beyond their immediate reach nor mount the extra effort needed to surpass their ordinary performances.“FromEncyclopedia of Human Behavior, 1994"Self-belief does not necessarily ensure success, but self-disbelief assuredly spawns failure.“FromSelf-efficacy: The Exercise of Control, 1997"By sticking it out through tough times, people emerge from adversity with a stronger sense of efficacy.“FromEncyclopedia of Human Behavior, 1994“People’s beliefs about their abilities have a profound effect on those abilities. Ability is not a fixed property; there is a huge variability in how you perform. People who have a sense of self-efficacy bounce back from failure; they approach things in terms of how to handle them rather than worrying about what can go wrong.”FromSelf-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control, 1997Quotes on Social Cognition"A theory that denies that thoughts can regulate actions does not lend itself readily to the explanation of complex human behavior.“FromSocial Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory, 1986"People not only gain understanding through reflection, they evaluate and alter their own thinking.“FromSocial Foundations of Thought and Action, 1986"People who perceive themselves as a highly efficacious act, think, and feel differently from those who perceive themselves as inefficacious. They produce their own future, rather than simply foretell it.“FromSocial Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory, 1986"People with high assurance in their capabilities approach difficult tasks as challenges to be mastered rather than as threats to be avoided.“FromEncyclopedia of Human Behavior, 1994"We are more heavily invested in the theories of failure than we are in the theories of success.“From APA address, 1998"Once established, reputations are not easily changed.“FromEncyclopedia of Human Behavior, 1994"Gaining insight into one’s underlying motives, it seems, is more like a belief conversion than a self-discovery process.“FromSocial Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social-Cognitive Theory, 1986“Psychology cannot tell people how they ought to live their lives. It can, however, provide them with the means for effecting personal and social change.”FromSocial Learning Theory, 1977"Success and failure are largely self-defined in terms of personal standards. The higher the self-standards, the more likely will given attainments be viewed as failures, regardless of what others might think.“FromSocial Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social-Cognitive Theory, 198615 Great Psychology Quotes

Albert Bandura is best known for his theory ofself-efficacyand his work insocial learning, including his famous “Bobo doll” experiment. In addition, Bandura served as President of theAmerican Psychological Associationin 1974 and he is a Professor Emeritus at Stanford University. Below are just a few quotations from Bandura’s writings.

Quotes on Self-Efficacy

Quotes on Social Cognition

15 Great Psychology Quotes

SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Prentice-Hall series in social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, US: Prentice-Hall, Inc.Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. New York: Freeman.Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Prentice-Hall series in social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, US: Prentice-Hall, Inc.Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. New York: Freeman.Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Prentice-Hall series in social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, US: Prentice-Hall, Inc.Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. New York: Freeman.Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Prentice-Hall series in social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, US: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. New York: Freeman.

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