Locus of Control as a Determinant of Information Seeking

Abstract

Rotter's (1966) internal-external control scale was administered to 182 students enrolled in introductory psychology. The data supported the hypothesis that the amount of task relevant infor mation sought by internals and externals would not differ in situations in which the degree of control was specific, but that internals would seek more information than externals when the degree of control was vague. The hypothesis that subjects who were informed that their outcome depended entirely on their own task performance would seek more information than subjects who were informed that their outcome was a function of chance was not supported.