Five levels of Computer Self-Efficacy

Over the years, the computer self-efficacy (SE) construct in IS research has gone through multiple incantations. Starting with a broad concept of SE drawn from psychology, researchers in IS have come up with computer SE, specific computer SE as major constructs and more recently four distinct conceptualizations based on task/technology complexities. This paper advances this discourse by pointing out the theoretical shortcomings in the current conceptualizations of SE. Using the socio-technical framework a d Bandura’s original work, this paper describes the evolution of the SE construct and presents five forms of computer SE’s: Individual SE, Individual computer SE, Individual computer and task SE, Individual Sociotechnical SE and Collective sociotechnical SE. A clear identification and explication of each of these affords the opportunity to demonstrate the full impact of this important construct in various IS contexts, as well as to resolve issues with discordant findings in prior empirical SE research