Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Anxiety among Indian and Iranian Students

INTRODUCTIONSelf-efficacy is an important causal factor of behavior because it influences one's decision to execute a behavior, the effort one will use up, and the persistence one will exert when faced with obstruction (Leganger et al, 2000). In other words, individuals are more likely to pursue a behavior when they believe they are capable of executing this behavior successfully. Consequently, individuals will pick out and enjoy activities in which they have high level of efficacy beliefs.Self-efficacy refers to one's perceived, as opposed to actual, ability to execute a particular action (Furstenberg & Rounds, 1995). Self-efficacy beliefs are not indicative of a decontextualized trait; rather "Beliefs about how well sub skills can be put into practice can vary depending on the pursuits they subserve" (Bandura, 1997, p.38). This concept was advertised by Bandura in 1977 as part of his Social Learning Theory (Leganger, Kraft, & Roysamb, 2000) and has been validated through large research since that time (Reich, Bickman, & Heflinger, 2004). Researchers investigated correlates of self-efficacy has consistently found a relationship with several variables. A positive association has been found between self efficacy and self-esteem (Bacchini & Magliulo, 2003), information-seeking effectiveness (Brown et al, 2001), internal locus of control (Leganger et al., 2000), subjective well being (Tong, 2003), academic success (Pajares, 2003), adoption of healthy behaviors (Leganger et al., 2000), and motivation (Stajkovich & Luthans, 1998). Conversely, a negative association has been found between self-efficacy and pessimism (Leganger et al., 2000), low economic status (Tong, 2003), helplessness (Lennings, 1994), and low self-esteem (Leganger et al., 2000). Furthermore, low levels of self-efficacy have been found to be related to the maintenance of depression, as levels of self-efficacy determine "whether an individual's coping behavior will be initiated, how much task-related effort will be expended, and how long that effort will be sustained despite disconfinning evidence" (Stajkovic & Luthans, 1998, p.240). Self-efficacy and anxiety seem intuitively linked. People who feel ineffective in dealing with life's inevitable problems and challenges cannot help but be anxious at the thought of how they will manage these challenges when they arise. This is not to say that those with high levels of self-efficacy do not feel anxious, but rather that people with higher self-efficacy may handle anxiety differently than those with low self-efficacy. According to Bandura (1977, 1986) anxiety has an inverse correlation with an individual's perceived level of self efficacy. This concept has been supported by research (Betz & Hackett, 1981, 1983; Lopez & Lent, 1992; Anderson, 1996). A study of cardiac patients whose mean age was 64 attempted to clarify the nature of the relationship between feelings of control (self-efficacy) and depression and anxiety. The researchers concluded that "feelings of control reduce anxiety and depression, as opposed to anxiety and depression leading to low perceptions of control" (Taylor et al., 1991, p. 98). At present in University of Mysore, there are more than 200 Iranian students studying in different subjects. Since many years ago both countries have cultural as well as educational communication. In this paper the researcher has assumed that there is strong significant relationship between self-efficacy and anxiety among the Indian and Iranian students studying at University of Mysore. And also who are immigrating to other countries they may have high levels of self-efficacy and low level of anxiety so that they can adapt themselves in new environment; however the nature of immigration is anxious and stressful. A through survey in literature did not yield any results regarding comparison of relationship between self-efficacy and anxiety of Iranian and Indian students, the researcher wanted to see whether link between the self-efficacy and anxiety among the Indian and Iranian students exist or not? …