Rotter's Locus of Control Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is internal locus of control?

Where people think that events/patterns in their lives are due to their own behaviour and personality characteristics.

What is external locus of control?

Where people interpret the consequences of their behaviour to be controlled by luck/fate or powerful others.

What does locus of control refer to?

It refers to where people think that the factors that influence their behaviour are located.

What was the aim of Rotter's study?

To investigate correlations between locus of control and behaviour. Signup and view all the answers

What was the method/sample used in Rotter's study?

A review article, with 6 pieces of research into individual perceptions of ability to control outcomes. Signup and view all the answers

What was the procedure followed in Rotter's study?

Rotter devised a questionnaire containing pairs of statements and filler statements, which was refined from 60 to 23 items. Signup and view all the answers

What were the results of Rotter's study?

Participants who felt they had control were more likely to show behaviors to cope with potential threats. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Internal Locus of Control

Individuals believe that their actions and personality significantly influence the events in their lives.
They take personal responsibility for their health and make choices aimed at improving it.

External Locus of Control

People attribute the outcomes of their actions to external factors like luck, fate, or others' influence.
They often see their health as determined by external agents, such as doctors or circumstances beyond their control.

Locus of Control

This term refers to individuals’ perceptions of where the control over factors influencing their behavior resides, either internally or externally.

Aim of Rotter's Study

Investigated the relationship between locus of control and behavior to understand how perceptions of control impact actions.

Method and Sample

The study is a review encompassing six pieces of research focused on individual perceptions regarding their ability to influence outcomes.

Procedure

Created a questionnaire featuring paired statements along with six filler statements to minimize demand characteristics.
The original 60-item questionnaire was refined to 23 items using reliability and validity tests, leading to the development of the Internal-External (IE) scale.
Conducted additional research and analyzed secondary sources to examine the correlation between IE scores and behavioral outcomes.

Results of the Study

Participants with a strong internal locus of control exhibited more proactive behaviors to manage potential threats compared to those who felt controlled by external factors.

Description

Explore the concepts of internal and external locus of control through this engaging flashcard quiz. Discover how people's perceptions of control affect their lives and behaviors. Test your knowledge on Rotter's theories and improve your understanding of psychological concepts.