Imagine there is a disappointing result in an examination for two students. The first one blames oneself for the poor performance because he did not study hard enough and should have started studying from the beginning of the year. The second one says that the paper was unfair and his teacher is biased. The situation for both students is the same and the difference is in the perception. This is an example of locus of control that describes what a person believes about the relationships between their behaviour and the events that surround them. People who believe that their actions contribute to what happens to them have an internal locus of control. On the other hand, people who believe that events that happen to them are a result of higher powers or situations have an external locus of control (Rotter, 1966).
Internal and External Locus of Control
The first student has an internal locus of control. It does not mean that the person has control of their lives but they believe that most outcomes are a result of their actions. On the contrary, the second student has an external locus of control due to their beliefs that external forces dictate outcome such as destiny or fortune. Humans can have two types of locus of control.
People can have both internal and external control of events depending on the situation. For example, a person can have an internal locus of control over academics and an external locus of control in romantic relationships. Understanding one’s locus of control is not a guarantee that what happens to a person is their fault or that they have full power to dictate every outcome.
Where Do These Beliefs Come From?
It is normal to question the origins of these beliefs. The beliefs that a person has about control can emanate from their life experiences. For example, if a child discovers that their actions do not alter an outcome, they develop an external locus of control. Children who discover that their actions do influence an outcome will develop an internal locus of control. The experiences that shape a person’s beliefs and consequently control start from an early age (Nowicki & Strickland, 1973).
Nowicki and Strickland’s work on children shows that locus of control reflects achievement and other functions. The researchers concluded that children’s locus of control and achievements scores were interconnected (Nowicki & Strickland, 1973). The environment plays a role in shaping what a person believes about control. Factors such as parental guidance, societal expectations, and culture contribute to the development of locus of control (Bar-Tal & Bar-Zohar, 1977).
A child who questions whether they can achieve something or not without external support will develop a different perception about control from a child who is allowed to make their decisions independently. Interestingly, these beliefs are not set in stone as shown by research. A review of literature on locus of control and academic achievement indicates that locus of control is a variable disposition (Bar-Tal & Bar-Zohar, 1977).
What about Motivation?
The student who has received a poor result feels disappointed. If the student has an internal locus of control, they can review their preparation and make alternative study plans. On the contrary, a student with an external locus of control can believe that the teacher is biased and no revisions will improve the outcome of their next examination. Studies have established the link between locus of control and academic achievements.
Findley and Cooper (1983) report a positive correlation between an internal locus of control and academic achievements. However, the relationship was not strong, and the link varied depending on the group analyzed and measurement techniques used. In recent years, scientists have been studying the connection between locus of control, motivation, and students’ achievement.
The meta-analytic study that included 37 articles concluded that locus of control, motivation, and self-efficacy are positively related to students’ achievement. Self-efficacy is a person’s belief about their capabilities to complete a task successfully. At the same time, motivation determines whether a person will do a task or not. The three factors locus of control, self-efficacy, and motivation are related but are not the same. A student who receives a poor result but believes that their preparation can improve might have a strong self-efficacy and be motivated to study further (Haidari et al., 2023).
It is important to note that an internal locus of control does not guarantee achievement. A number of people make choices to improve their lives but fail due to some circumstances like poverty, prejudice, and insufficient resources. Belief in one’s capabilities can inspire someone to try harder. It can also enable them to evaluate and change existing strategies. A locus of control is an indication of a person’s belief about how their actions influence outcomes.
Locus of Control and Coping
It affects how people deal with daily stresses and problems. Imagine the student who has received poor examination results and is now faced with other academic issues. They have multiple assignments, an examination in a week and a problematic family. Such a student can decide to cope with the academic burden by creating a study schedule and discussing family issues. At the same time, another student can believe that everything is happening to them and there is no point in fighting it. A person who thinks that he can influence the situation will use a problem-focused coping style to manage it.
A person who believes that he is unable to control the situation will use emotion-focused coping mechanisms to deal with it. The kind of control a person possesses determines his approach to coping with it. For example, if a student is confronted with a bad examination result, and he believes that he can get a good mark, he will try to prepare more for the next examination. At the same time, a student who has just demonstrated a poor grade by believing that the outcome was out of their hands can decide to ask for help and support.
In another scenario, a student who is faced with a difficult examination, multiple assignments and family problems can decide to make changes in all of these issues. Another student can believe that everything is preordained and beyond their control. Both types of students will react differently to the same problems. Parkes (1984) investigated the association between locus of control and coping mechanisms. The author discovered that locus of control and coping were related to the extent to which participants judged situations to be within their control.
If the student can change a poor examination result, then a problem-solving approach will work. If a poor result is beyond their control, then emotion-focused coping mechanisms are the most appropriate. Coping mechanisms such as seeking social support and evaluating the situation are the best way to ensure that the person makes the best judgment. It is difficult to recommend which strategy is better for dealing with problems because some situations are within our control while others are not.
The Benefits and Limits of Both Orientations
An internal locus of control is a belief that a person has about their power to change what happens to them. An internal locus of control empowers a person to take action to improve their lives. At the same time, people with an internal locus of control might blame themselves for every negative outcome. It can be detrimental to a person’s wellbeing, especially if they believe they are the cause of every negative outcome in their lives.
A person who was involved in an accident or suffered racial discrimination might constantly blame themselves for the misfortunes in their life. A person who possesses an external locus of control believes that uncontrollable forces dictate what happens to them. Individuals who exhibit an external locus of control safeguard against self-blame, which encourages them to seek other people’s help when they are confronted with a challenge.
However, the negative expectation that uncontrollable forces determine what happens to a person may lead to demoralization when facing a challenge and give up easily. A person who believes that their actions make no difference and that everything in life is predetermined can be discouraged to do anything because it will make no difference. Krause (1986) found that both extremes of locus of control predicted higher vulnerability to stressful life events.
An internal and an external locus of control have their own advantages and disadvantages. A balanced locus of control will help someone to freely assess and choose the best option in any given situation. It prevents the person from being overly self-critical or overly reliant on other people.
Does Locus of Control Affect Decision Making?
It also affects the decisions that people make. Suppose a student gets an opportunity to participate in a competition but must study extra to prepare for it. A student with an internal locus of control will decide whether to participate based on the potential benefits of the competition. At the same time, a student with an external locus of control will believe that they cannot change the outcome of this situation.
Bonoma and Leis (1979) investigated the connection between locus of control and decision-making. The authors found that locus of control orientation influenced judgments and decisions made under conditions of uncertainty. Other factors such as personality, risks, and knowledge also affect the decision-making process. Locus of control is only one of the several factors that determine the decisions that a person will make.
Can Our Locus of Control Change?
It can change in people as they grow and develop. Every experience that a person goes through affects their locus of control beliefs. A student with an internal locus of control can realize that other strategies, apart from effort, can also help them achieve good grades, such as feedback, alternate preparation techniques, and seeking assistance.
On the other hand, students may recognize that external factors influence relationships and avoid forcing a relationship to succeed. Research has also linked locus of control to life events, particularly those involving structured activities. Nowicki’s work on children showed the relationship between locus of control and structured activities increased internality (Nowicki & Barnes, 1973).
Conclusion: Knowing What You Can Control
People have different perceptions about the outcomes in their lives. A locus of control shows a person’s view on whether they can influence these outcomes. Studies have found that locus of control correlates with achievement, self-efficacy, motivation, and coping styles. Nevertheless, a locus of control is no guarantee for success and happiness.
A person can strive for their goals but end up disappointed because of circumstances that are not in their hands. Alternatively, a person can believe that everything happens because of external forces but still have the same result as a person who has an internal locus of control. A locus of control is important for judging a situation and taking action where necessary.
References +
- Bar-Tal, D., & Bar-Zohar, Y. (1977). The relationship between perception of locus of control and academic achievement: Review and some educational implications. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 2(2), 181–199. https://doi.org/10.1016/0361-476X(77)90020-0
- Bonoma, T. V., & Leis, J. (1979). Locus of control, trust, and decision making. Decision Sciences, 10(1), 39–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5915.1979.tb00005.x
- Findley, M. J., & Cooper, H. M. (1983). Locus of control and academic achievement: A literature review. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44(2), 419–427. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.44.2.419
- Haidari, S. M., Koçoğlu, A., & Kanadlı, S. (2023). Contribution of locus of control, self-efficacy, and motivation to student achievement: A meta-analytic structural equation modelling. Journal on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education and Science, 16(3), 245–261. https://doi.org/10.7160/eriesj.2023.160308
- Krause, N. (1986). Stress and coping: Reconceptualizing the role of locus of control beliefs. Journal of Gerontology, 41(5), 617–622. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronj/41.5.617
- Nowicki, S., Jr., & Barnes, J. (1973). Effects of a structured camp experience on locus of control in children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
- Nowicki, S., Jr., & Strickland, B. R. (1973). A locus of control scale for children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 40(1), 148–154. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0033978
- Parkes, K. R. (1984). Locus of control, cognitive appraisal, and coping in stressful episodes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46(3), 655–668. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.46.3.655
- Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80(1), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0092976
