Perceived self‐efficacy, social comparison, affective reactions and academic performance

Abstract

The present study is based on Bandura's theory of perceived self-efficacy and on Wills' theory of downward comparison. We expected that perceived self-efficacy and downward comparison, separately and in combination, would contribute to the positive feelings of university students regarding their skills and by way of these feelings to their study performance. The results largely support this expectation. Both perceived self-efficacy and downward comparison contributed to the positive feelings of the students. These feelings also influenced their course grades. In contrast with the expectation the interaction between self-efficacy and direction of comparison did not contribute to feelings of students regarding their own skills.