What is the difference between self-efficacy and self-fulfilling prophecy?

Answer 1

Self-efficacy has to do with one's belief in his or her own ability to do a given task. One who believes in his or her self is more likely to give effort, persevere when confronted with obstacles, and ultimately succeed.

A self-fulfilling prophecy has to do with OTHERS' beliefs about a person. Basically, the way others perceive a person influence their expectations of that person, how they treat him or her, the resources and responsibilities they make available to the person, etc. Ultimately, this can direct the person's behaviour, resulting in the person behaving as others expected that he or she would.

Because self-efficacy is influenced by the feedback that we receive from others, the perceptions of others can also influence self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is not an essential part of self-fulfilling prophecy theory, per se, however.

Answer 2

Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their ability to succeed in a specific situation or accomplish a task. Self-fulfilling prophecy, on the other hand, is a belief or expectation that influences behavior in a way that causes it to come true. In essence, self-efficacy is about confidence in one's abilities, while self-fulfilling prophecy is about how beliefs can shape outcomes.