Question

Define and provide examples of the following social cognitive constructs: locus of control, self-efficacy, and delay of gratification.

Answer 1

Locus of control refers to an individuals belief system with regards to the causes of one's own experiences and how the individual attributes their success or failure. there are two types internal and external locus of control. internal locus of control is the belief system when an individual attributes one's success and failures to their own efforts and abilities. for example, if an individual fails an exam, they would believe that they didnt work hard enough for he paper. External locus of control is the tendency to attribute success or failure to luck or fate. example, if an individual fails an exam, they would think that they were unlucky for this paper. they believe they have less control over their lives

self efficacy refers to an individuals beliefs in their capabilities to perform a task and accomplish something. thus self efficacy is our belief in our own abilities and whether we are capable of overcoming challenges. example, an individual who has high self efficacy in their leadership skills will feel confident in their ability to supervise a group

delay of gratification refers to the ability to resist temptation in return for a larger reward in the long run. thus it refers to when an individual is able to resist immediate gratification for a long term reward. example, resisting eating the desserts in front of you in the hopes of losing weight and looking fit in the long run