Which concept refers to belief in one's ability to succeed at tasks?

• A. Self-efficacy
• B. Self-esteem
• C. Self-concept
• D. Self-regulation

Answer: (A)

Self-efficacy is the belief in one's ability to succeed at tasks. This confidence influences how much effort you invest, how long you persist, and how you approach challenges because you expect you can master the task. It is task-specific, meaning you can feel highly capable in one area (like solving a math problem) and less so in another. By contrast, self-esteem is about overall self-worth, self-concept is the broad view of who you are, and self-regulation is about controlling thoughts, emotions, and actions to reach goals. So the idea described—believing you can succeed at tasks—best matches self-efficacy.