Chapter 3: Self-Efficacy Development in Adolescence

Stacie and Meg—juniors at Atlas High School—soon must submit their course requests for next year. They have completed 3 years of science as mandated by the school system and must decide whether to take additional courses. Physics is an option, and although it is not required they believe that taking it may help with college admission. To date they have received similar grades (As and Bs) in science courses. The night before the class sign-up date they discuss the situation with their parents. Meg’s dad feels that she should take physics since it will help her understand how the world works. Meg notes that Ms. Blakely (the physics teacher) is not very good. After further discussion, however, Meg concludes that she feels confident about learning physics because she always has been able to learn science in the past and that if she does not understand something she will ask the teacher. So Meg decides to sign up for it. Stacie, on the other hand, tells her parents that she just does not feel smart enough to learn or do well in physics and that because Ms. Blakely is not a good teacher Stacie would not receive much help from her. Stacie also tells her parents that few girls take the course. Under no pressure from her parents, Stacie decides she will not sign up for physics.