Always having been a good student, Irving is confident that he will do well in his psychology course. According to Bandura’s social learning theory, Irving would be said to have:

Irving's confidence in his psychology course, stemming from his history as a good student, exemplifies self-efficacy, a key concept in Bandura's social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their capacity to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task. His past academic successes provide strong mastery experiences, which are the most influential source of self-efficacy, reinforcing his belief that he possesses the necessary skills to perform well again. This belief directly impacts his motivation, effort, and persistence. In contrast, self-esteem (C) is a broader sense of self-worth, not task-specific. A sense of superiority (B) implies comparison, while defense mechanisms (D) are psychoanalytic coping strategies, neither of which accurately describe Irving's task-specific confidence.