Synonyms
Definition
Locus of control consists of an individual’s beliefs about the causes of their life events. Specifically, an internal locus of control reflects the belief that events in one’s life are determined by one’s own actions, whereas an external locus of control reflects the belief that these events are instead due to outside forces.
Introduction
The term “locus of control” was originally introduced by Rotter (1966) as the “locus of control of reinforcement,” a component of social learning theory. This theoretical perspective was groundbreaking in its combination of learning and cognitive principles. Consistent with behaviorist theorists, Rotter believed behavior was strongly influenced by situational consequences, or rewards and punishments. However, he also acknowledged the role of individual cognition in influencing behavior, as he asserted the importance of one’s beliefs about the value of the consequences and the likelihood that one’s...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Findley, M. J., & Cooper, H. M. (1983). Locus of control and academic achievement: A literature review. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44, 419–427.
Furnham, A., & Steele, H. (1993). Measuring locus of control: A critique of general, children’s, health- and work-related locus of control questionnaires. British Journal of Psychology, 84, 443–479.
Gallagher, M. W., Bentley, K. H., & Barlow, D. H. (2014). Perceived control and vulnerability to anxiety disorders: A meta-analytic review. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 38, 571–584.
Kormanik, M. B., & Rocco, T. S. (2009). Internal versus external control of reinforcement: A review of the locus of control construct. Human Resource Development Review, 8, 463–483.
Lefcourt, H. M. (1966). Internal versus external control of reinforcement: A review. Psychological Bulletin, 65, 206–220.
Lefcourt, H. M. (1992). Durability and impact of the locus of control construct. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 411–414.
Paulhus, D. L., & Van Selst, M. (1990). The spheres of control scale: 10 years of research. Personality and Individual Differences, 11, 1029–1036.
Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80, 1–28.
Seligman, M. E. P. (1975). Helplessness. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman & Company.
Wallston, B. S., & Wallston, K. A. (1978). Locus of control and health: A review of the literature. Health Education Monographs, 6, 107–117.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
McCarty, M.K., Ramlakhan, K. (2020). Locus of Control. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_1799
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_1799
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-24610-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-24612-3
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences