scholarly journals Self-Efficacy Is Mainly Genetic, Not Learned: A Multiple-Rater Twin Study on the Causal Structure of General Self-Efficacy in Young People

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 651-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trine Waaktaar ◽  
Svenn Torgersen
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Causal Structure ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Theoretical Assumption ◽  
Common Environment ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Environmental Causes ◽  
General Self Efficacy

Social learning theory postulates that self-efficacy is learned through the person's interaction with his/her physical and social environment. In this genetically informative, population-based, multi-informant study of 1,394 adolescent twin pairs, self-efficacy was modeled as one latent psychometric self-efficacy factor with genetic and environmental effects common to all informants, as well as for effects specific for each informant. The results showed that 75% of variation in self-efficacy was due to genetic factors. Non-shared environmental causes explained the remaining 25% of the variance in the latent factor, with no effect of common environment. Some informant-specific effects were also found. The present study challenges the theoretical assumption of learning as the dominant etiological factor behind self-efficacy in young people.

scholarly journals Heritabilities of Apolipoprotein and Lipid Levels in Three Countries

Twin Research ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian Beekman ◽  
Bastiaan T. Heijmans ◽  
Nicholas G. Martin ◽  
Nancy L. Pedersen ◽  
John B. Whitfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Lipid Levels ◽  
Common Environment ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Intermediate Phenotypes ◽  
Genes And Environment ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Australian Sample ◽  
Important Intermediate ◽  
Heritability Estimates

AbstractThis study investigated the influence of genes and environment on the variation of apolipoprotein and lipid levels, which are important intermediate phenotypes in the pathways toward cardiovascular disease. Heritability estimates are presented, including those for apolipoprotein E and AII levels which have rarely been reported before. We studied twin samples from the Netherlands (two cohorts;n= 160 pairs, aged 13–22 andn= 204 pairs, aged 34–62), Australia (n= 1362 pairs, aged 28–92) and Sweden (n= 302 pairs, aged 42–88). The variation of apolipoprotein and lipid levels depended largely on the influences of additive genetic factors in each twin sample. There was no significant evidence for the influence of common environment. No sex differences in heritability estimates for any phenotype in any of the samples were observed. Heritabilities ranged from 0.48–0.87, with most heritabilities exceeding 0.60. The heritability estimates in the Dutch samples were significantly higher than in the Australian sample. The heritabilities for the Swedish were intermediate to the Dutch and the Australian samples and not significantly different from the heritabilities in these other two samples. Although sample specific effects are present, we have shown that genes play a major role in determining the variance of apolipoprotein and lipid levels in four independent twin samples from three different countries.

Cross-Sectional Associations Between the Five Factor Personality Traits and Leisure-Time Sitting-Time: The Effect of General Self-Efficacy

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 572-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanette Frost Ebstrup ◽  
Mette Aadahl ◽  
Lene Falgaard Eplov ◽  
Charlotta Pisinger ◽  
Torben Jørgensen
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Leisure Time ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Sitting Time ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
General Self Efficacy

Background:Leisure-time sitting-time (LTST) is seen as a possible independent risk-factor for physical and mental health, but research on psychological determinants is sparse. Associations between sitting-time and the personality dimensions of neuroticism, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and the role of general self-efficacy (GSE) were investigated.Methods:A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Denmark, in 2006−08. Men and women (N = 3471) aged 18 to 69, were randomly sampled in the suburbs of Copenhagen. The NEO Five-Factor Inventory, the General Self-Efficacy-Scale, and the Physical Activity Scale 2 were used.Results:Negative associations were found between LTST and extroversion, conscientiousness, and openness, while neuroticism showed a positive association (R2 = .13). The associations with agreeableness became significantly positive, when GSE was included. All 5 associations were mediated by GSE, with mediation proportions between 23%−60%; but with modest effect sizes.Conclusions:These cross-sectional results indicate that personality traits and GSE could be considered as associates of LTST; but future longitudinal data are necessary to make causal statements and rule out alternative models fitting data.

Characteristics of Psychological Readiness for Social Activity as Determinants of Different Forms of its Manifestation among Russian Student Youth in the Saratov Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-84
Author(s):  
Irina V. Arendachuk
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Change Readiness ◽  
Readiness For Change ◽  
Saratov Region ◽  
Self Development ◽  
General Self Efficacy

In modern studies, there is a contradiction between the passivity of young people in the manifestation of their social activity and the ideas of society about their progressive role in the development of civilization. In this regard, it becomes especially relevant to solve the problem of increasing the involvement of student youth in social processes through the search for factors that determine their psychological readiness for social activity, as aimed at being included in socially transformative activities, allowing young people to realize their potential in various spheres of life. In order to find a solution to this problem, a study aimed at analyzing the determinants of psychological readiness of Russian students to manifest various forms of social activity was conducted. The empirical study was carried out on a sample of students who live in the Saratov region and study in organizations of secondary vocational and higher education (Russian Federation, Saratov, N = 197; aged 18 to 23). The characteristics of psychological readiness were identified using the following methods: Personality Emotional Orientation Assessment (B.I. Dodonov, verified by N.A. Belskaya), General Self-Efficacy Scale (R. Schwarzer, M. Erusalem, adapted by V.G. Romek), Readiness for Self-Development (V.L. Pavlov) and Personal Change-Readiness Survey (A. Rolnik, S. Hezer, M. Gold, K. Hull, adapted by N.A. Bazhanova and G.L. Bardier). The intensity of social activity and different forms of its manifestation was determined using a questionnaire developed by a team of authors (R.M. Shamionov et al.). The study revealed some specific features in the determination of various forms of social activity by characteristics of psychological readiness for their manifestation among Russian students. It is shown that social activity in different forms of its manifestation can be determined by personal emotional orientation as a characteristic of emotional readiness, self-efficacy as an indicator of readiness to overcome difficulties in a social context, and characteristics of personal readiness for change, among which passion (energy), confidence and ingenuity dominate. It is found that, among young students, psychological readiness to the greatest extent determines the intensity of subcultural, altruistic and educational-developing forms of social activity, minimally associated with the manifestation of socio-political and Internet network forms of activity and is not associated with religious activity.

Psychometrical Properties of a French Version of the General Self-Efficacy Short Scale (ASKU)

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-25
Author(s):  
Jean Philippe Décieux ◽  
Philipp Emanuel Sischka ◽  
Anette Schumacher ◽  
Helmut Willems
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
German Version ◽  
French Version ◽  
Context Variable ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
French Speaking ◽  
German Speaking ◽  
Valid Instrument ◽  
General Self Efficacy

Abstract. General self-efficacy is a central personality trait often evaluated in surveys as context variable. It can be interpreted as a personal coping resource reflecting individual belief in one’s overall competence to perform across a variety of situations. The German-language Allgemeine-Selbstwirksamkeit-Kurzskala (ASKU) is a reliable and valid instrument to assess this disposition in the German-speaking countries based on a three-item equation. This study develops a French version of the ASKU and tests this French version for measurement invariance compared to the original ASKU. A reliable and valid French instrument would make it easy to collect data in the French-speaking countries and allow comparisons between the French and German results. Data were collected on a sample of 1,716 adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a good fit for a single-factor model of the data (in total, French, and German version). Additionally, construct validity was assessed by elucidating intercorrelations between the ASKU and different factors that should theoretically be related to ASKU. Furthermore, we confirmed configural and metric as well as scalar invariance between the different language versions, meaning that all forms of statistical comparison between the developed French version and the original German version are allowed.

General Self-Efficacy Short Scale--French Version

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Philippe Décieux ◽  
Philipp Emanuel Sischka ◽  
Anette Schumacher ◽  
Helmut Willems
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
French Version ◽  
Short Scale ◽  
General Self Efficacy
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