Name
I Can Do It: Sources of Musical Self-Efficacy for Non-Music Majors
Date & Time
Thursday, July 30, 2026, 11:20 AM - 11:50 AM
Description
This study investigated non-music majors’ self-efficacy beliefs and their perceptions of the four sources of self-efficacy as they relate to their participation in active music making. College students who participate in music, even though it is not their chosen career, have a unique set of factors that influence their choice to make music. Studying this group provides insight into how to develop self-efficacy beliefs and resilience in all our music students, promote lifespan music making, and create supportive environments that foster physical and mental wellbeing. This study replicated and built upon an earlier study which investigated the sources of self-efficacy of non-music major college students (Karki, 2023).The participants completed an online survey developed and validated by Zelenak (2011, 2015) about the four sources of self-efficacy; enactive mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and physiological and affective states (Bandura, 1997). The data was evaluated to discover the strongest source of efficacy for this group, and ANOVAs were used to discover the impact, if any, of gender identity and previous musical experiences on the perceptions of the sources of self-efficacy. Follow-up interviews were conducted with several participants to gain a deeper understanding of their self-efficacy beliefs.Physiological and affective states were the most significant source of self-efficacy (M = 84.14) followed closely by enactive mastery experiences (M = 83.36). These results are similar to the replicated study, but enactive mastery experiences (M = 80.75) were slightly higher than physiological and affective states (M = 78.92). Bandura (1997) found that enactive mastery experiences were the most significant source of self-efficacy in most areas, but this study reinforces a growing body of research (Karki, 2023; Lewis, 2018; MacAfee & Comeau, 2020) that demonstrates the importance of physiological and affective states in musical self-efficacy beliefs. It also provides unique insight in a group of students that are not often studied. A better understanding of self-efficacy development for this unique group of students will help improve systems that support the emotional and physical wellbeing of all students.
Location Name
513A
Full Address
Palais des Congres - Montréal Convention Centre
1001, Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle
Montreal QC H2Z 1H2
Canada
Session Type
Paper Presentation
Presenting Author(s)
Genevieve Karki