In my journey over the past few months I have placed a high level of importance on trying to make myself more confident in my abilities to pick up women.

My main inspiration for working on the confidence side of my game was inspired by my dissertation at uni on Self-Efficacy. I thought I would share a section of that work with you guys. Hopefully it may help you to see that any self-limiting beliefs you have are going to have a negative effect on your performance!

Background to Self-Efficacy Theory

The term self-efficacy can be used to describe a person’s perceived capability to accomplish a certain level of performance (Duda, 1998). Bandura (1997) described self-efficacy as the belief that one can successfully execute a specific activity in order to accomplish a certain outcome. Self-efficacy beliefs are not about individuals skills objectively; they are about the individuals judgements of what they can accomplish with those skills (Duda, 1998). Bandura (1997) proposed that self-efficacy beliefs have an effect on psychosocial behaviour. These beliefs influence thought patterns, emotional reactions and thought patterns in various situations. For example, people will avoid situations they believe they are not capable of handling; their level of self-efficacy will also influence their amount of effort and determine how much they persist in the face of failure. People with high self-efficacy can focus more effort on the task in hand and persevere more than those with low self-efficacy (Gencay, 2009).

Bandura (1997) suggests that efficacy beliefs are formed as a result of complex thought processes of self-appraisal and self-persuasion from different efficacy sources of information; he categorised these sources of information as past performance accomplishments, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion and physiological states.

Past performance accomplishments have been shown to be the most influential source of efficacy information because they are based on a persons own experiences of success or failure (Bandura, 1997). Individuals who view past performance as successes will have higher self-efficacy beliefs; however, if these experiences have been viewed as failures, then self-efficacy beliefs will generally decrease (Feltz et al, 2008).

Vicarious experiences have an effect on self-efficacy as information can be derived through individuals observing and comparing themselves to others (Feltz et al, 2008). Bandura (1997) suggests that this process involves observing the performance of others, coding the information that has been observed, noting the consequence of the performance and finally using that information to make judgements about ones own level of mastery. Vicarious influences also include social judgements, for example, looking at other individuals in terms of their physique may have an effect on self-efficacy (Weinberg, Gould & Jackson, 1979, cited by Feltz et al, 2008). Vicarious sources of efficacy information are generally thought to be weaker than past performance accomplishments (Duda, 1998).

Verbal persuasion information effects self-efficacy through factors such as evaluative feedback, expectations by others, self-talk, imagery and other cognitive strategies; self efficacy beliefs based on these sources are also said to be weaker than those of performance accomplishments (Duda, 1998).
Physiological information effects self-efficacy as people cognitively assess their physiological condition and state to form judgements about their efficacy (Feltz et al, 2008). Physiological information is derived from factors such as fitness, levels of fatigue and pain; as well as psycho-physiological factors such as arousal, fear, self doubt and ones ability to get psyched up and ready for performance (Duda, 1998). Physiological information has been shown to be a more important source of information effecting self-efficacy in physical activity tasks than in nonphysical tasks (Chase et al, 1994; Feltz & Reissinger, 1990, cited by Duda, 1998 and Feltz et al, 2008).

Research suggests that the relationship between self efficacy and behaviour is a reciprocal one in nature (Weinberg & Gould, 2003). In a sporting context, an athlete or coach with previous high levels of performance will have higher self efficacy, these feelings of high self efficacy in turn have a positive effect on performance.

I just re-read this more carefully.

The inference is that high levels of perceived self-efficacy would be for example akin to the natural whose reality is based on past performance accomplishments, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion and physiological information. That person would therefore be that much more effective due to the non existence of barriers in their perception that having a high threshold in self-efficacy would facilitate, or at least those barriers being high enough to matter much less.

So I suppose my question is, this describes theory what's going on, OK I'm with you so far, but how does one seek to actually raise their own level of self-efficacy consciously? Which I imagine is the same question as how to change one's subconscious beliefs...

PS

For me, the very knowledge that my own level of self-efficacy was likely affecting my behaviour and performance was enough for me to look past my self-limiting beliefs. I felt more determined to push past it.

I should have included this in the original post but If I try and break down the parts of the theory in relation to pick up, I see it like this.

I was in a position where I had very little past performance accomplishments so was determined to get some. Whether you look at this from a sporting or PU point of view, people with high self-efficacy all started out at the bottom and over time after continued practice would have gained more and more of these. So I pushed myself to just approach way more every time I went out. This is similar stuff to what Tyler calls reference points I think in the blueprint, the more you have the more confident you get.

I look at vicarious experiences as having possible positive and negative effects. If you are comparing yourself to others for the right reasons, e.g. looking at what other people are having success from and applying it to yourself in the right areas then its all well and good. If however you are comparing yourself to others and making negative judgments about your own ability to achieve the same success as a result then its potentially a bad thing. (See my sig for my outlook on this type of mindset).

As far as verbal persuasion and physiological information go, I think Tyler covers this again in the blueprint when he talks about 'state'. I would recommend you watch it as he puts it way better words than I could.

But like I said at the beginning the very knowledge of these things possibly affecting me was enough for me to look at things objectively and decide to make a commitment to improve my confidence in any way I could. From Paul McKenna hypnosis stuff to just continuing to practice, I definitely feel a more confident person now in all areas of life!

You know what this concept reminds me of? In the bodybuilding documentary filmed in the 70's called Pumping Iron about Arnold Schwarzenegger (it's a right old homoerotic fest of weirdness if you've not seen it, but anyway), some of the other body builders were trying to get one up on Arnold by saying he had been top dog for too long and that "the old wolf on top of the hill is not as hungry as the one climbing the hill"...to which Arnie said "that's true, but if the old dog want's the food, it's right there for him to take"...or something like that. The guy knew he was entitled, he has massive dominance in his field and was top of the tree, and his reaction said so many things about his reality. All kinds of experience, reference, comparison, verbal persuasion...all leading to his mindset. Not surprised he's been successful, despite having the acting skills of a brick.

Anyway, I like the concept and will bear it in mind, cheers for the post.

PS

Arnie is a dominant force, no matter what he chose to do he would ahve been highly successful -- his autobiography is very good reading

You've read my mind, I was thinking about ordering it. Amazon beckons.

PS