individual may not believe that he/she can build a ten story building if he/she does not

have the adequate skills and training in engineering. A farmer may believe that the/she

cannot farm traditionally if there is a drought.

 Research indicates that self-efficacy can influence an individual's decision-making

process and ability to perform a behavior. For example, studies show that students with

high self-efficacy have higher grades in school than those with lower self-efficacy

(Schunk, 1991). In addition to academic performance, self-efficacy is also a predictor of

adoption and maintenance of breast self-examinations (Luszczynska, & Schwarzer,

2003). Some studies show that self-efficacy is the primary, but not the sole, determinant

of an individual's intentions and behaviors (Sanderson, 2004; McGinty, 2006). Self-

efficacy may also predict the persistence of a behavior in the future (Luszczynska, &

Schwarzer, 2003; Schaefers, Epperson & Nauta, 1997). Schaefers, Epperson and Nauta's

(1997) research shows that self-efficacy is one of the determinants, but not the prime

determinant, of women's persistence in engineering as an academic major. Other factors

that influenced persistence behavior include academic ability, supports and barriers and

interest congruency, or the degree of fit between women's personality and demands of an

occupation.

 Various research show that self-efficacy can be influential of adoption and

persistence behavior with direct benefits. However, results show that self-efficacy is only

sometimes a prime determinant of adoption and persistence behavior.

Theory of Planned Behavior

 In 1998, Ajzen incorporated Bandura's theory of self-efficacy into the TRA to

better understand the effects of decision-making on human behavior when individuals do

not have full voluntary control over their decision making process (Sapp, 2002). The