Self-efficacy or perceived behavioral control: which influences bank-switching intention?

Abstract Self-efficacy and perceived behavioral control significantly predict human cognition and behavior. However, their impact is inconsistent in bank-switching studies. This study seeks to understand their roles in bank-switching intention in a heavily digitized market. In a sample of 1207 respondents representative of Norwegian banking customers from October 2023, we tested the relative importance of self-efficacy and perceived behavioral control compared to customer satisfaction and sociodemographic covariates through multivariate linear regression analyses. Self-efficacy predicted bank-switching intention better than perceived behavioral control. Echoing previous research, diminishing customer satisfaction was the primary predictor. However, satisfaction interacted with bank-switching self-efficacy, implying that low and moderate customer satisfaction is associated with increasing bank-switching intention if self-efficacy is high. A suggestion for future research is to develop validated scales for bank-switching self-efficacy. To increase competition, as requested by policymakers, policies addressing the role of self-efficacy could be considered. Customer relationship and marketing officers must understand how self-efficacy can impact customer retention and churn. This study underscores the importance of studying bank-switching self-efficacy as a determinant of bank-switching activities. It contributes to the literature by testing social cognitive theories relating to perceived individual capability in an increasingly digitized banking market in a sample with high external validity.