Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 30 (2011) 935 – 938

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1877-0428 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the 2nd World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and Guidance.doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.181

Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 00 (2011) 000–000

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WCPCG-2011

The relationship between self-efficacy and time perspective in students

Azra Zebardast a *, Mohammad Ali Besharat b, Marjan Hghighatgoo c aDepartment of Psychology,University of Ttehran,P. O. Box 14155-6456, Tehran, Iran bDepartment of Psychology,University of Ttehran,P. O. Box 14155-6456, Tehran, Iran

c Department of Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil,Iran

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship of self-efficacy with time perspective. 391 students (140 boys, 251 girls) completed the Self-efficacy Scale (SES-28; Sheerer et al, 1982), and the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI-25; Zimbardo & Bond, 2011). ). Results showed significant positive correlation between self-efficacy with future time perspective. The results also revealed significant negative correlation of self-efficacy with present fatalistic and negative past time perspective, and significant negative correlation of self-efficacy with present fatalistic and negative past time perspective. Based on the results, it can be concluded that individuals with a higher level of self-efficacy have more positive time perspective. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Keywords: self-efficacy, time perspective, adjustment;

1. Introduction

Self-efficacy refers to person's beliefs and assessments of his/her ability to doing work. According to Bandura (1997) self-efficacy is defined as ''beliefs in one's capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments''. Many researchers examine these beliefs as they relate to specific tasks, but growing theoretical and empirical work also supports examining self-efficacy as a general trait that to motivational variables (Chen, Gully, & Eden, 2001, 2004). Self- efficacy beliefs have clear relations with behavioral regulation (Bandura & Cervone, 1983; Tolli & Schmidt, 2008) In particular, individual with higher self-efficacy tend to set higher goals (Donovan, Hafsteinsson, 2006). In attempting to achieve goals, individuals must monitor and react to discrepancies between their current performance levels and these goals. Thus, reactions to goal-performance discrepancies (GPDS) are a central component of self- efficacy (Bandura & Cervone, 1983; Donovan & Hafsteinsson, 2006; Donovan & Williams, 2003). The results of the study aim to state that GPDS motivate individuals to modify their goals (Donovan & Williams, 2003), their efforts (Bandura & Cervone, 1983), or both. Therefore, one of the major reactions to GPDS is judging and evaluating their goals. The judgment and evaluation rooted in cognition can be under the influence of locus of control ( Converse, Stienhanser & Pathak, 2010). One of the elements proposed related to locus of control and self-efficacy is time perspective. Time perspective refers to the ways in which an

* Azra Zebardast. Tel.: +o 9891-1155-8479; fax: +9821-8828-1515. E-mail address: A.Zebardast@ut.ac.ir.

© 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the 2nd World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and Guidance.

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individual views his/her past, present and future. This construct is an unconscious cognitive structure that a person implements in the time of decision making about short term or long term goals and actions and includes past (positive or negative). Negative past is an unhappy and unworthy understanding of past and positive past is a warm and affectionate understanding (concept) of past. Fatalistic present is unworthy and hopeless perception about life generality which has an outside locus of control. In construct, hedonistic present is a pleaser-seeking perception and excitement-oriented to present and promising perspective, and general direction is forward-looking oriented (Schores & Scott, 2007).

The Success of students in every society seeking progress is of basic and key points and a wide variety of studies have done with this issue. Results have shown that academic achievement has an effect on students social psychological development and judgment (Aluja & Blanch, 2002; Batin-pearson & et al, 2000; Jimerson, Ferguson, Whipple, Anderson & Daltton, 2002; Marsh, 1990; Muijis, 1997; Tai-sang, 1997). In seams that academic years are the periods during which regulating long and short- term goals and decision- making skills are frequent skills. Because a student should manage to do tasks by planning for semester goals in a cretin period of time and in a longer period to achieve educational goals. Since a student spends a time period of some years, self-efficacy element has a significant role in evaluating and regulating goal and time perspective element as motivational variables in planning and making decision about goal.

Despite the importance of these two factors, so far no research has examined these two concurrently in students' community. The present study is to examine self-efficacy and time perspective relation in students. And due to lack of background in this research, this question is proposed: Is there a relation between self-efficacy and time perspective?

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2. Method

2.1. Participant and procedure

A total of 391 undergraduate students (140 boys and 251 girls) from the Islamic Azad University Sari Branch took part as volunteers in the present study (mean age=23.9 and SD=4.9). Participates were asked to complete self-efficacy scale (SES-28; Sheerer et al, 1982), and Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI-25; Zimbardo & Bond, 2011).

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2.2. Measures

Self-efficacy scale (SES)- Self-efficacy Scale (SES-28; Sheerer et al, 1982) is a 23-item self-report measure. Each item is rated on a 14-point Likert scale from 1(very untrue) to 14 (very true). It is including two sub scales of specific self-efficacy and general self-efficacy. The Persian version of self- efficacy scale has been normalized by Besharat (2007) and its valid (α=.89).

Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI -15) - Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI-25; Zimbardo & Bond, 2011) is a 15-item self- report measure. Each item is rated on a 5-pointed Likert scale from 1(very untrue) to 5(very true). It is including 5 subscales of negative and positive past, hedonistic and fatalistic present and future. The

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Persian version of Time Perspective Inventory has been normalized on 742 by Besharat, Zebardast and Hghighatgoo (2011).

3. Results

Table 1 indicates the correlation results between variables. As the table shows, there is a significant positive correlation between the specific and general self- efficacy and future time perspective (r = .28, r = .40). There is a significant negative correlation between general self-efficacy with negative past and fatalistic present (r = -.19, r = -.30), there is a significant negative correlation between specific self- efficacy with negative past and fatalistic present (r = -.13, r = -.17).

Table 1. Correlation between self-efficacy and time perspective

Variable 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 General self-efficacy 1

2 Specific self-efficacy .479** 1

3 Negative past -.198** -.138** 1

4 Hedonistic present -.094 .011 .184** 1

5 Future .407** .284** .13* .022 1

6 Positive past .067 .096 -.011 .104* .177** 1

7 Fatalistic present -.309** -.171** .036 .041 -.236** -.037 1

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). **. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

4. Discussion

The study aims to analyze the relation between self-efficacy and time perspective in students. As the statistical results indicated, there is a significant correlation between self-efficacy and time perspective. So that the individuals with higher self-efficacy have more positive time perspective.

As indicated in table 1, there is a significant positive correlation between specific and general self-efficacy and future time perspective. The probable explanation about this relation is that self-efficient individuals do not remain in their past negative experiences regarding a positive evaluation of their capabilities and view future as a positive one and are hopeful and consider future problems as solvable challenges.According to Bandura (1997), self-efficacy has a key role in self-regulation. Studies have showed that individuals have low self-efficacy when facing social events and conditions, get nervous and depressed. Depressed people never have a positive outlook of their future and feel frustrated about it. It seems that individuals with high self-efficacy are inclined to future and are not depressed (Brenstien, Borchardt, & Pervien, 1996; Birmaher, et al, 1996).Also, the research results have shown that specific and general self-efficacy have significant negative correlation with negative past and fatalistic present. Negative past and fatalistic present times perspective are both hopeless view and perception and in fact include negative judgment and evaluation about past and present capabilities and actions.

As a result, it seems that ones with high self-efficacy have no negative judgment and evaluation about their capabilities; rather they have a positive perception about them.

To sum up, the results of this research showed that the students with higher self-efficacy have more positive time perspective.

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5. Suggestion

It's suggested to examine students' academic achievement and their emotional problems related to self-efficacy and time perspective in future studies.

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