Locus of Control

 By: Mariano Bernardez

Locus of control is a psychological concept that refers to how individuals believe they control events. Individuals with an internal locus of control believe they can influence the outcomes of events through their actions. In contrast, those with an external locus of control attribute the outcomes to external factors, such as luck or the actions of others. This concept was first introduced by Rotter (1966).

 Origins and Authors:

Julian B. Rotter, a prominent social learning theorist, developed the locus of control concept in 1966. Rotter's work in social learning theory served as a foundation for developing the locus of control as a measurable construct (Rotter, 1966).

 

Applications and Results:

Locus of control has been widely applied in various fields, such as education, health, and organizational behavior. For instance, students with an internal locus of control tend to perform better academically because they believe they have control over their learning (Gifford et al., 2006). Similarly, employees with an internal locus of control tend to demonstrate higher job satisfaction and organizational commitment, as they believe their efforts contribute to their success (Judge & Bono, 2001). In health psychology, an internal locus of control has been associated with better health outcomes, as individuals are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors (Wallston et al., 1978).

 

Cultural Behavior:

Locus of control has also been studied in relation to cultural differences. Research has shown that people from individualistic cultures tend to have a higher internal locus of control, while those from collectivist cultures exhibit a higher external locus of control (Spector et al., 2001). Cultural values can explain this; individualistic cultures emphasize personal autonomy, whereas collectivist cultures stress the importance of external factors, such as family and social groups.

 

Criticisms:

Despite its widespread use, the locus of control concept has been criticized. One major critique is the oversimplification of the internal-external dimension, as it does not account for the complexity of human behavior (Lefcourt, 1982). Another criticism is the cultural bias present in the initial development of the concept, as it was primarily based on Western cultures, which may limit its applicability to non-Western contexts (Spector et al., 2001).

 

References:

 

Gifford, D. D., Briceno-Perriott, J., & Mianzo, F. (2006). Locus of control: Academic achievement and retention in a sample of university first-year students. Journal of College Admission, 191, 18-25.

Judge, T. A., & Bono, J. E. (2001). Relationship of core self-evaluations traits—self-esteem, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and emotional stability—with job satisfaction and job performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(1), 80-92. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.86.1.80

Lefcourt, H. M. (1982). Locus of control: Current trends in theory and research (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80(1), 1-28. doi:10.1037/h0092976

Spector, P. E., Cooper, C. L., & Sparks, K. (2001). An international study of the psychometric properties of the Hofstede Values

 

 

The Rotter's test and its evaluation and interpretation

Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (I-E Scale) is a forced-choice test composed of 29 items, 23 are designed to measure locus of control, and 6 are filler items to reduce response bias.

Examples of Rotter's I-E Scale questions include:

When you make plans, do you usually:

a) Plan on things working out the way you want them to

b) Feel uncertain that they will work out as planned

Do you believe that:

a) Most people have control over their own lives

b) What happens to people is mostly a matter of luck

Each item consists of two statements, one reflecting an internal locus of control (e.g., "a") and the other reflecting an external locus of control (e.g., "b"). Participants must choose the statement that best represents their belief.

 

Evaluation and Interpretation:

To evaluate the I-E Scale, the test administrator calculates a total score for each participant based on the number of internal locus of control responses. The total score ranges from 0 to 23, with higher scores indicating a stronger external locus of control and lower scores indicating a stronger internal locus of control. No absolute cutoff score classifies a person as having an internal or external locus of control; the scores are generally considered on a continuum.

t is essential to consider the I-E Scale's limitations when interpreting the results. The test does not provide an in-depth assessment of the specific areas of control beliefs but offers a general overview of a person's locus of control. Furthermore, cultural differences, situational factors, and response biases can influence the scores, so they should not be interpreted in isolation. Instead, it is advised to combine the test results with other sources of information, such as interviews, observations, or additional psychological tests, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of an individual's locus of control.