Self-Regulation

Development and Theories of Self-Regulation

Although the concept of self-regulation has roots in many fields and with many theorists, Albert Bandura is often recognized as a primary contributor to the early theoretical basis. For example, Bandura proposed a model of self-regulation consisting of three primary processes: self-monitoring, self-judgment, and self-reaction. Since that time, a number of theorists have expanded this model to incorporate additional psychological constructs and processes. Although there are many models, one prominent model within the field of SRL has been proposed by Barry Zimmerman. This three-phase model suggests that SRL entails three interrelated phases of forethought, performance, and self-reflection, which respectively describe what an individual does before a task (i.e., forethought), during a task (i.e., performance), and after a task (i.e., self-reflection). Some researchers within the field of emotional self-regulation have also adopted this three-phase model of self-regulation. Rather than comprehensively review all models of self-regulation, this entry describes the three-phase model in detail. The Further Readings provide resources for the other prominent models.

Three-Phase Model of SRL

During the forethought phase, regulated individuals tend to set goals and create plans of actions to facilitate the attainment of those goals. Setting goals is important because it focuses one’s energy toward an important outcome and serves as a benchmark against which performances can be evaluated. On the other hand, planning facilitates [Page 1498]the selection of efficient and effective ways to complete a task and bolsters motivation. Within the three-phase model, motivation is perceived to be important during the forethought phase because setting goals and planning require effort that individuals may not choose to expend if they are not motivated. Some prominent motivational variables that have been linked to self-regulation include beliefs in one’s capability to succeed (i.e., self-efficacy), interest in the target task (i.e., task-interest), or personal value of the task to an individual (i.e., value). Setting goals, planning, and having adequate motivation support the next phase: performance.

...