Publication:

Self-efficacy in the urban Indian culture- exploring values, self-construal and personality

Background Personality and cultural influences on self-efficacy have not been examined among urban Indian adults, though they are relevant. Of specific importance is the relationship between self-efficacy and an individual’s perceptions of relatedness and autonomy, and their values.

Methods The aim of the present study was to examine the association between self-efficacy with self-construal, personality and individual values in an urban community sample from Bangalore city, India. A snowballing technique was used to recruit community participants (N=304, mean age=24.80±4.35 years). The tools used were the self-efficacy scale, the self-construal scale, the temperament character inventory-revised, and the portrait values questionnaire. Data was fitted into a linear regression model.

Results About seventy percent of self-efficacy was associated with was positively associated with personality dimensions of persistence and self-directedness, and negatively associated with novelty seeking and harm avoidance. Moreover, there was a significant positive association with the family value of benevolence and a negative association with security.

Conclusions It is important to study self-efficacy which has implications for domains such as quality of life, sense of contribution to society, well-being and positive beliefs held by individuals and the community at large regarding their self-worth and control. The study highlights the role of personality and values; all suggestive of a shift from the collectivist.