Bandura und andere untersuchten die „Selbstwirksamkeit“, das Verhältnis von Selbsteinschätzung der eigenen Fähigkeiten in Bezug zu Zielen. Zumeist mit Bezug zu lernen.
„Much human behavior, which is purposive, is regulated by forethought embodying cognized goals. Personal goal setting is influenced by self-appraisal of capabilities. The stronger the perceived self-efficacy, the higher the goal challenges people set for themselves and the firmer is their commitment to them (A. Bandura, 1991).“ (Bandura 1991, S. 118)
Wichtig in dem Zusammenhang ist die sogenannte „agency“, die Handlungsbefähigung in Korrelation zur Selbsteinschätzung.
„People make causual contributions to their own functioning through mechanisms of personal agency. Among the mechanisms of agency, none is more central or pervasive than people's beliefs about their capabilities to exercise control over their own level of functioning and over events that affect their lives (Bandura 1993: 118).“