Background/Purpose: While it has been established that past performances are typically the most salient source of efficacy information, Bandura asserts that there are some contexts in which the sources of efficacy information vary in the strength of their influence on beliefs. One context that has not been extensively studied is that of diverse populations. Examinations of self-efficacy for physical activity in racially diverse populations have found that social support is cited as an important source for increasing efficacy beliefs, especially in African American and Latino populations, and while this line of research shows promise, further study is needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the sources of self-efficacy for running in African American runners.
Methods: Participants in this study were 10 African American distance runners, aged 20-35. Participants were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire and a 20-30 minute audio taped interview.
Analysis/Results: In general, the results indicate that African American distance runners' selection of the sources of efficacy information is consistent with that of past research within the sport and physical activity domain, including those that used Caucasian populations. Participants also discussed their awareness about choosing to engage in a sport activity that was rare for African Americans, but the majority did not feel that it played a role in their self-efficacy for running.
Conclusions: This study contributes to the literature by providing a promising start to a better understanding of racial/ethnic norms and their influence on self-efficacy beliefs for physical activities in stereotyped groups.
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