Locus of Control – Concept, Types, Effects

Introduction

When you get good marks in an exam, do you think that it were your efforts that became fruitful or it was luck? Similarly, when you fail in some task, do you blame yourself for your low efforts or blame the situation for being unfavorable. This difference in behavior whether the consequences are or are not in one’s control is studied by Julian Rotter. He proposed the concept of locus of control.

What is Locus of Control?

Locus of control is the belief regarding the outcome of their actions.

Julian Rotter (1966, 1978,1981, 1990) devised a theory based on a basic principle of motivation derived from
Thorndike’s law of effect: People are motivated to seek reinforcement and avoid punishment.

According to Rotter, Locus of Control means – The tendency for people to assume that they either have control or do not have control over events and consequences in their lives.

American Psychological Association (APA) – A construct that is used to categorize people’s basic motivational orientations and perceptions of how much control they have over the conditions of their lives.

It refers to internal or external control over reinforcement resulting from operating response upon the environment. In fact it is the development of a generalized expectancy within the individual as to how he receives reinforcement.

It is a psychological concept that refers to how strongly people believe they have control over the situations and experiences that affect their lives. In education, locus of control typically refers to how students perceive the causes of their academic success or failure in school.

Certain people believe that their skills and abilities influence the outcome of the action. Others believe that some external factors like fate or chance influence their result.

Types of Locus of Control

Certain people believe that their skills and abilities influence the outcome of the action. Others believe that some external factors like fate or chance influence their result.

Internal Locus of Control

People with internal locus of control think that skill coupled with hard work, foresightedness and feeling of  responsibility can change their fate and bring reinforcement.

Students with an “internal locus of control” generally believe that their success or failure is a result of the effort and hard work they invest in their education.

For example, students with an internal locus of control might blame poor grades on their failure to study.

Whether a student has an internal or external locus of control is thought to have a powerful effect on academic motivation, persistence, and achievement in school. In education, “internals” are considered more likely to work hard in order to learn, progress, and succeed.

External Locus of Control

People high on external locus of control think that reinforcement is not in their control that is, they can not influence the outcome of happenings. Whatever happens is ascribed to luck and coincidence.

Students with an “external control” generally believe that their successes or failures result from external factors beyond their control, such as luck, fate, circumstance, injustice, bias, or teachers who are unfair, prejudiced, or unskilled. 

For example, students with an external locus of control may blame an unfair teacher or test for their poor performance.

“Externals” are more likely to believe that working hard is “pointless” because someone or something else is treating them unfairly or holding them back. Students with an external control may also believe that their  accomplishments will not be acknowledged or their effort will not result in success.

In special education, the locus-of-control concept is especially salient. Many educators believe that students with learning disabilities are more likely to develop an external locus of control, at least in part due to negative experiences they may have had in school.

If their disabilities have made learning exceptionally difficult or challenging, and they have consequently experienced more failure than success in school, blaming other people and external factors can develop into a psychological coping mechanism (i.e., when someone or something else is always the cause, the students don’t need to take more responsibility over their success in school). 

Internal Vs External Locus of Control

How does it affect our performance?

a) Absenteeism: People having internal locus of control possess a belief that the health is under their control. They inculcate good health habits and take proper care of their health. Thus, they have lower rate of sickness. Therefore, absenteeism is less in these people.

b) Turnover: With respect to turnover, internals tend to take action and thus might be expected to quit the jobs more readily, but they tend to be more successful on the job and more satisfied.

c) Decision-Making: People having external locus of control are more oriented towards intuitive decision making. On the other hand, internals consider more information before taking decisions. They are motivated by the achievements. They would like to control the outcome of the decisions.

d) Motivation: Internals possess achievement motivation than externals that are just satisfied with the available rewards.

e) Job Satisfaction: People having external locus of control are more dissatisfied on the jobs. This is because of the belief that the outcome is not under their control. In the case of internals, job  satisfaction is more due to the belief that outcomes are the results of their actions.

f) Psychological Commitment: Externals are less involved in the jobs. Internals possess commitment that is more psychological.

g) Social interactions: People having internal locus of control are more sociable and excited to have social relationships to keep their identification and esteem.

References

• Baron, R. A. and Byrne, D. (1997). Social Psychology, 8th edition. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon
• egyankosh.ac.in
• Ciccarelli, S. K.; White J. N. Adapted by Girishwar Misra (2018). Psychology (5th Edition). Pearson