The relationship between self-efficacy, collective efficacy, and cohesion in basketball teams

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine self-efficacy (SE), collective efficacy (CE), and cohesion (CO), and performance outcome (PO) in basketball teams (n=14). Another purpose was to examine whether the wording of CE questions (i.e., questions asked from a group [CEG] versus individual [CEI] perspective) would produce different research outcomes. Questionnaires were administered in the middle and at the end of the regular season. The results indicated that as SE beliefs about various basketball-related skills increase, CE beliefs about those skills increase, which predicts PO (while SE does not). Overall, the scores for both CEG and CEI subscales were stable over time. Although both were high, the CEG subscales obtained higher within-group agreement than did the CEI subscales. Both social and task cohesion were positively related to the CEG and CEI subscales. Finally, overall CEG was the sole predictor of PO. Implications of research findings are suggested.