External Locus of Control. There is a great deal of research showing that people who are anxious or depressed have an "external locus of control." That is, the person believes that something outside of him- or herself determines what will happen. Persons with social anxiety disorder believe that other, more capable and competent people control what will happen. Take the example of a man asking a woman to accompany him to a movie. If this man is socially anxious, then he believes it is totally up to her to say yes or no. He probably expects her to say no. However, if the man is not socially anxious, he probably believes he has some influence over her response. He may believe that he can talk her into going, that he will be able to flirt with her so that she will want …show more content…
This is known as an "internal locus of control" because the person believes that something inside of himself or herself influences what will happen. In most instances, people with social anxiety disorder underestimate the control or influence they may have