Review of Self-Efficacy and Locus of Control for Nutrition- and Health-Related Behavior

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Abstract

This article reviews several cognitive predictors of health-and diet-related behaviors commonly used in theories and models of nutrition and health behavior change. Constructs such as self-efficacy, self-esteem, outcome expectancies, health value, and locus of control are examined. Self-efficacy has repeatedly been a good predictor of health behavior, sometimes explaining more than 50% of variability. Research on locus of control and other predictive factors has been less conclusive. The take-home message is threefold: (a) task specificity of self-efficacy and domain specificity of locus of control are crucial for unraveling their effects on behavior; (b) careful segmentation of different population groups under study may explain the inconsistencies in previous research; and (c) especially when studying dietary behavior, these predictors of behavior change should not be used alone or in place of one another but should be used simultaneously to explain complex food and diet-related behaviors. We recommend that nutritionists systematically integrate available theories and models and explore new areas for studying human behavior, such as sociology and anthropology, to form a more powerful, comprehensive model for behavior change. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:1122-1132.

Section snippets

Definition

Self-efficacy was introduced by Bandura (2) as a key concept in Social Cognitive Theory. Social Cognitive Theory attempts to predict and explain human behavior (3). This theory holds that the person, the person's environment, and the cognitive and emotional processes specific to that person all interact to determine behavior (4); thus, behavior can shape cognition and the environment just as cognition and the environment can shape behavior.

Social Cognitive Theory has been used extensively in

Locus of Control

Locus of control is another major construct that has been confused with self-efficacy. Locus of control has its origins in Rotter's (34) Social Learning Theory, which states that the potential for a behavior to occur in a given situation is a function of expectancies that the behavior will lead to a particular outcome and the extent to which the outcome is valued. This construct contends that people view the attainment of a particular outcome as being either within their control (internals),

Closely Related Constructs

Self-efficacy is often confused with closely related constructs that often describe more generalized personality traits, such as self-esteem and self-confidence. As we emphasized earlier, it is the specificity attribute of self-efficacy that distinguishes it from most other constructs.

Discussion

The three theories/models—Social Learning Theory, Theory of Reasoned Action, and Health Belief Model—have the same purpose: explaining health-related behavior. They often share the same principles or concepts and move in parallel directions. They may supplement each other and should be integrated in future research to help explain human behavior. The Figure integrates concepts from Social Learning Theory, the Theory of Reasoned Action, and the Health Belief Model to illustrate the effect of

Conclusions

Past investigators, especially in the field of nutrition, have routinely used cognitive constructs singly to assess their effect on behavior. We recommend a more comprehensive approach in research about cognitive predictors for health behavior. These predictors should not be used alone or in place of each other but together to form a complex framework that attempts to explain behavior change. Anything less will result in weak predictive abilities and many contradictory results, as has been the

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