We do not ski solely on the basis of the consequences of our actions; we also ski according to what we believe we know and can do. Our skiing is guided by a sense of personal efficacy. The Socio-cognitive theory, proposed by psychologist Albert Bandura, is the theoretical framework on which the concept of perceived self-efficacy is based. This theory is centered on our beliefs about our own ability to manage skiing actions to cope with the arising situations.
Self-efficacy is our own opinion about whether or not we are capable of performing a given task and our effort, persistence, and resistance to failure depend on this evaluative judgment.
Perceived self-efficacy is not about personal resources available to confront a situation, but about our own recognition of what we can achieve with them and the conviction of being able to succeed in the determined execution. This conviction is developed early in life, but it is also a constant dynamic perception that continues to be nurtured according to our experiences and attitudes. This dynamic and motivational aspect of task-solving behavior tends to unfold throughout life.
The perception of self-efficacy is oriented to the belief in our own abilities and confidence in the achievement of the proposed objectives. Efficacy refers to the power to produce an effect, while self-efficacy is our belief in being able to produce that effect; it is the conviction in our own efficacy and we will behave differently when we prove a sense of efficacy rather than inefficacy.
When skiing, we need a resilient, optimistic, and persevering sense of personal efficacy to cope with the realities of the mountain context. In this type of activity, where certain mistakes can lead to detrimental consequences, an accurate self-assessment of our own abilities is required. It is not enough to have the ability to perform a certain task, but in order to achieve it, it is necessary to judge ourselves capable of performing it. A skier endowed with similar abilities, or the same skier in different circumstances, may perform poor, adequate, or extraordinary actions according to fluctuations in his convictions of personal efficacy.
According to Bandura, self-efficacy beliefs play a fundamental role in development, adaptation, and change, as well as in regulating aspirations, behavioral choices, and maintenance of commitment. Producing effects on the environment provides a sense of efficacy and pleasure. If we do not believe we can produce the effects we desire with our actions, we would have little incentive to act; indeed, we would not even try to learn to ski if we believe we are not capable of doing so. If we do not believe that we will be able to achieve certain results, we will not show incentive or perseverance in facing challenges. The personal opinion of our own capabilities influences the perception of the difficulty of the task to be performed. This personal efficacy intervenes in skiing at motivational, emotional, and behavioral levels. It influences so much that it could be said that it is based on our own beliefs rather than on the objective information received. Achieving an appropriate performance is because, in addition to possessing the ability, we believe in it.
In relation to the places where we move when skiing, if we have a low sense of efficacy we will ski safe slopes with little traffic because, according to our interpretation, the environment appears to be dangerous. On the other hand, presenting a strong efficacy conviction, we will ski congested slopes even if they represent riskier contexts because we perceive ourselves as more competent to cope with the actions of others.
The perception of the dangerousness of environmental threats is not only based on interpretations of external signals but also on our own sense of efficacy. If the ability to cope with these situations generates in us anxiety, it may be due to our lack of conviction to deal with them. If we find it difficult to manage environmental threats, amplify the level of threatening situations, direct our attention to our own shortcomings and to events with little chance of occurring, we tend to become discouraged quickly, showing diminished self-efficacy. On the other hand, if we do not get upset when faced with stressful situations, control our negative thoughts, and feel motivated to overcome them it is because we consider them as challenges.
The sense of self-efficacy helps us deciding the challenges to be faced when skiing. Having a low perceived self-efficacy, we shy away from challenges because we perceive them as personal threats, exhibiting low commitment along with reduced aspiration. Instead of focusing on how to perform, we focus on our own internal states and, when facing difficulties, emphasize our own deficiencies along with external obstacles.
Self-efficacy beliefs influence motivation, persistence, and performance success in motor behavior, explaining why skiers with the same physical and technical resources exhibit different performances. This is because our skiing actions are influenced by what we think, feel, and believe. One aspect of the degree of efficacy is the representation of the predictive value of behavior: perceived self-efficacy is a strong predictor of our future individual performance. Our mind is influenced, if not determined, by psychological and environmental factors. Our expectations of perceived self-efficacy establish a fundamental factor in terms of our sense of appropriateness for the activity and personal competence. When we cease to perceive ourselves as self-efficacious, we generally abandon the activity.
A low sense of efficacy generates anxiety and discouragement through three procedures:
- One of them is the dissatisfaction of aspirations: not being able to satisfy the proposed goals generates discouragement.
- A lessened sense of self-efficacy in social support also leads to demoralization, increasing vulnerability to situations that we must face alone.
- A third aspect that influences our perception of personal efficacy is the control of thoughts, especially destructive ones: repetitive harmful thoughts have a negative influence, constituting a vicious circle.
Self-efficacy begins to develop in our early stages of learning to ski and tends to continue throughout our evolution. It is a personal process that interacts with behavioral processes and environmental situations. We progress in increasingly complex environments and, in turn, these environments generate mental and emotional pressures which must be contained by deploying functional self-efficacy beliefs. Both the beginner and the novice athlete are not able to properly self-evaluate, therefore, they place their trust in the judgment of the instructor and coach to develop a sense of efficacy. These collaborate in the development of self-efficacy in that they can appropriately manage experiences of success as well as failure.
