Efficacy beliefs in physical activity settings: contemporary debate and unanswered questions

The sport and exercise psychology literature is replete with comprehensive (and contemporary) reviews of self‐efficacy. This chapter provides an overview of self‐efficacy theory, and briefly traces self‐efficacy research in physical activity (i.e., sport, exercise) settings. The study of individuals’ confidence regarding certain “self‐regulatory” processes—typically under the term "self‐regulatory efficacy" —is particularly prominent within research on exercise and physical activity participation. The chapter highlights (some of) the unresolved issues that require the attention of sport and exercise psychology researchers. These unanswered questions include: revisiting the function and measurement of self‐efficacy beliefs; "checking the blind spot": better understanding the negative within‐person effects of self‐efficacy; investigating efficacy resilience and generality processes; and experimental and intervention work on relational efficacy beliefs