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Locus Of Control

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In 1966, Julian B. Rotter introduced the term Locus of Control to Psychology. The idea of Locus of Control stems from the studies of people’s reactions to reinforcements, rewards and gratifications and the causes of the differences thereof. Rotter argues that people will react differently if they believe that the cause of the reward or punishment is caused by their own merits or faults, characteristics or behaviors, than if they believe that this outcome is due to external circumstances, independent of them. The former attitude was named internal control and the latter – external control (Rotter 1966) In general, he theorizes that internal locus of control is linked to positive life outcomes, while possessing external locus control results …show more content…

Rotter argued that the Locus of Control is shaped based on experiences, rather than on biological factors. In their study “Locus of Control Orientation: Parents, Peers, and Place”, Ahlin and Antunes researched the primary causes of development of locus of control based on different environmental factors. The study used longitudinal survey of children, youth and their caregivers covering 9 years, with a questionnaire filled out once every three years (3 waves) combined with neighborhood level survey in Chicago. These surveys covered a large amount of subjects including individuals’ perceived control, family management, neighborhood variables, peer interactions, etc. The researchers hypothesized, that surveys from wave 1 and 2 would predict the locus of control at wave …show more content…

For me, placing the control into my hands means that I realize that I need to study very hard and not give in to circumstances, which I would do, if I thought the upcoming exam was not a fair representation of the material in the course. Possessing that knowledge makes me more anxious while learning, trying to make sure I know everything and have not missed important information. Waiting for the test makes me even more anxious, when I go through the material in my head and constantly think I am missing something. On the other hand, I find levels of academic achievement aspiration to be good representatives of my perceived locus of control. If I did not believe that most of my life was in my hands, I would probably not exert myself as

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