SELF-EFFICACY AND GOAL PERCEPTION AMONG YOUNG INDIAN ADULTS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

The present study was intended to investigate goal setting in relation to self-efficacy (SE) along with examining the importance of goal pertaining to the academic, peer and familial domains. A sample of 61 female and 66 male college going students were selected to participate in this study. The measures included Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, structure of goals, individual characteristics, and personal achievements. Besides, the study involved a 2x3 factorial design with 2 gender and 3 levels of self-efficacy (high, moderate, and low). The results indicated that the perceived importance of goals were greater for high SE students than their counterparts. However, the gender difference in the perceived importance of goals were not significant. Another issue that emerged from this study was the importance of self-worth in reference to the choice of goals. On the basis of present results, it is concluded that the perceived selfefficacy has significant effect on choice of goals and that these influences are moderated by individual characteristics.