Relationship of internal-external control to work motivation and performance in an expectancy model.

Abstract

Internal-external control represents the extent to which a person perceives himself to control the events around him. Internality (perception of much control) was hypothesized to be positively related to the following: (a) the concept of instrumentality from expectancy theory, (b) work motivation as measured by ratings and by expectancy theory measures, (c) job performance as measured by ratings, and (d) rank. Data were collected from naval personnel comprising 52 work groups of four each; ratings from their supervisors were also obtained. These hypotheses were confirmed at or beyond the .05 significance level. A multitrait-mul tirater matrix showed convergent but no discriminant validity for ratings by supervisors, peers, and the subjects themselves on the subjects' job effort and performance. The Internal-External Scale (Rotter, 1966) measures a person's perception that the events which happen to him are contingent upon his behavior. An internal person essentially feels in control of the things which happen to him; an external person believes that the events in his life are for the most part beyond his influence. Commonly used terms for designating the two ends of this continuum are the belief in skill and the belief in chance. Perceptions of Internal-External control