Developing a Game Design Self Efficacy Scale, Part 1

I just wanted to reiterate the importance of developing our self efficacy (our beliefs about our abilities to bring to pass certain results/accomplish certain tasks; a judgment of our capability in a specific area, Game Design). What we believe about ourselves plays a large part in what we choose to do and how well we perform in those things we choose to do. For example, Bandura (1997) explained that what we believe is more important and has a bigger influence on our motivation than what is "objectively" true. He further explains that self efficacy is a "major determinant of people's choice of activities, how much effort they will expend, and of how long they will sustain effort in dealing with stressful situations" (Bandura, 1977, p. 194).

Additionally, according to Bandura (1977), there are 4 sources of information, from which we develop our self efficacy: 1) mastery experiences, 2) vicarious experiences, 3) verbal/social persuasion, and 4) physiological states.

Mastery Experiences
These are the experiences that we have as we design games. As we are able to be successful, our self efficacy will increased. The more mastery experiences we have, the higher our self efficacy and the less impact failures tend to have on our self efficacy.

Vicarious Experiences
Sometimes we are able to see others and their successful experiences. These, "vicarious experiences," also have a positive impact on our self efficacy.

Verbal/Social Persuasion
Other people may "root" for us. Others may attempt to influence our behavior through suggestion, telling us that "we can do it!" Again, this would tend to raise our self efficacy.

Physiological States
Experiences that we have elicit emotional responses from us. We, sometimes, interpret those emotional responses as signs of personal competency. This in turn, can positively affect our self efficacy.

Each of these affects our self efficacy but at differing degrees. Mastery experiences provide the longest lasting, most resistant to change impact on self efficacy. The effects drop from mastery experiences to vicarious experiences, and so on. Each of the 4 has an impact, but having mastery experiences is the most impactful.