External Locus Of Control Orientation Research Articles

Differences in Levels of Social Anxiety in Adolescent Girls in Makassar City Seen from Locus of Control

One of the developmental tasks that adolescents must go through is social adjustment in adolescents. Difficulties in the social adjustment process due to the standards that apply in the environment make teenagers afraid of being evaluated negatively and even experiencing social anxiety. One factor of anxiety is the role of the control center or locus of control. Locus of control is divided into internal and external. The aim of this research is to see whether there are differences in the level of social anxiety in adolescent girls in terms of locus of control. The criteria for subjects in this research are female teenagers aged 12-18 years who live in Makassar City. The subjects in this research were 400 female teenagers who live in Makassar City. The method used in this research is quantitative. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Test. The results showed that there were differences in the level of social anxiety among female adolescents in the city of Makassar in terms of Locus of Control with a significance value of 0.000 (p<0.05). This research illustrates that adolescents with an external locus of control orientation tend to have high social anxiety. It is hoped that the results of this research will be able to pay attention to what things adolescent girls can control when facing social situations or in the social environment. Teenagers are expected to have understanding and confidence and also be able to see things that are beyond their personal abilities, which are things that can have an impact on themselves.

Locus of control and pre-pandemic depressive symptoms relate to psychological adjustment of college students to the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: The current study examines the relationships between change in depressive symptoms and locus of control orientations among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: A sample of 341 undergraduate students were recruited from a large Midwestern United States university.Methods: Participants completed an online cross-sectional survey with self-report measures of current depressive symptoms, retrospective pre-pandemic depressive symptoms, and locus of control.Results: Depressive symptoms changed significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic (t(340) = 7.49, p < 0.01). Pre-pandemic depressive symptoms predicted symptom change with the greatest changes among students who had fewer pre-pandemic symptoms (b = −0.58, p < 0.01) and higher external locus of control orientation (b = 0.24, p < 0.01).Conclusions: An increased presence of mental health resources is needed on college campuses and external locus of control should be targeted through clinical intervention as a risk factor for adverse depressive responses to stressors among college students.

Financial Risk Tolerance, Sensation Seeking, and Locus of Control Among Pre-Retiree Baby Boomers

Financial risk tolerance is an important personal characteristic that is widely used by financial professionals to guide the development and presentation of client-centered recommendations. As more baby boomers enter retirement, research on how these individuals perceive their willingness to take financial risks has gained importance, particularly as the focus of investment portfolios changes from capital accumulation to capital preservation in retirement. This study examined the role of sensation seeking and locus of control on financial risk tolerance for a pre-retiree baby boomer sample using the 2014 wave of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. Findings from three ordinary least square (OLS) regression models showed that baby boomers who were not sensation seekers, and those who displayed an external locus of control orientation were more likely to exhibit a low tolerance for financial risk. Furthermore, those who engaged in sensation-seeking behavior were more likely to have an internal locus of control orientation and a high tolerance for risk.

Reorienting Locus of Control in Individuals Who Have Offended Through Strengths-Based Interventions: Personal Agency and the Good Lives Model.

Having an external locus of control has been associated with a range of well-supported risk correlates of offending behavior. Further, individuals with an internal locus of control orientation are suggested to be more open to engaging in treatment and are also considered more likely to have successful treatment outcomes. In forensic settings, where individuals are subject to external controls and have little personal autonomy, it is important to consider what treatment approaches might be most successful in reorienting individuals’ locus of control. The Good Lives Model (GLM) proposes a strengths-based approach to the rehabilitation of individuals who have offended. Within the GLM, an external locus of control is suggested to be associated with a deficit in the primary good of agency. In this article, we will provide a brief overview of the literature on locus of control and its hypothesized role in offending behavior. We will discuss how an external locus of control orientation is related to personal agency and how strengths-based models, such as the GLM, may assist with reorienting locus of control in individuals who have offended through promoting personal agency.

The mid-childhood and adolescent antecedents of women's external locus of control orientation.

Background:External locus of control orientation (ELOC) is a powerful predictor of adverse consequences in regard to health, educational attainment, inter-personal relationships and well-being. Although many cross-sectional studies have been carried out, relatively little is known about antecedent factors influencing the development of ELOC. Methods:Over 12,000 pregnant women who enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in south-west England, had completed a brief version of the Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External LOC scale, together with detailed questions concerning their own parents and childhood. A series of hypothesis-free structured backwards stepwise logistic regression analyses used an exposome approach with ELOC as the outcome. Results:Significant positive associations were found with smoking of the parents of the surveyed women, including prenatal exposure, and their own onset of regular smoking in mid-childhood (6-11 years). Increased odds of ELOC were also found with the absence of their fathers in early childhood, presence of older siblings, and with being born and brought up in the same area as they resided in at the time surveyed. Protective influences in the surveyed women included positive rating of their mother's care, having a relatively educated mother, attending boarding school, their own age (the older they were, the less likely were they to have an external orientation), having a mentally ill parent, a sibling hospitalized or a relative die. Conclusions: There are two conclusions: (i) that not all stressful events contribute to the development of ELOC and it would be essential for models of antecedents of ELOC to take note of this complexity, and (ii) there are consistent (albeit unexpected) findings that highlight associations with cigarette smoke exposure of the woman from fetal life through to when starting to smoke regularly herself in mid-childhood. It is important that these findings are tested in other populations.

The mid-childhood and adolescent antecedents of women’s external locus of control orientation

Background: External locus of control orientation (ELOC) is a powerful predictor of adverse consequences in regard to health, educational attainment, inter-personal relationships and well-being. Although many cross-sectional studies have been carried out, relatively little is known about antecedent factors influencing the development of ELOC. Methods: Over 12,000 pregnant women who enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in south-west England, had completed a brief version of the Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External LOC scale, together with detailed questions concerning their own parents and childhood. A series of hypothesis-free structured backwards stepwise logistic regression analyses used an exposome approach with ELOC as the outcome. Results: Significant positive associations were found with smoking of the parents of the surveyed women, including prenatal exposure, and their own onset of regular smoking in mid-childhood (6-11 years). Increased odds of ELOC were also found with the absence of their fathers in early childhood, presence of older siblings, and with being born and brought up in the same area as they resided in at the time surveyed. Protective influences in the surveyed women included positive rating of their mother’s care, having a relatively educated mother, attending boarding school, their own age (the older they were, the less likely were they to have an external orientation), having a mentally ill parent, a sibling hospitalized or a relative die. Conclusions: There are two conclusions: (i) that not all stressful events contribute to the development of ELOC and it would be essential for models of antecedents of ELOC to take note of this complexity, and (ii) there are consistent (albeit unexpected) findings that highlight associations with cigarette smoke exposure of the woman from fetal life through to when starting to smoke regularly herself in mid-childhood. It is important that these findings are tested in other populations.

The mid-childhood and adolescent antecedents of women's external locus of control orientation.

Background:External locus of control orientation (ELOC) is a powerful predictor of adverse consequences in regard to health, educational attainment, inter-personal relationships and well-being. Although many cross-sectional studies have been carried out, relatively little is known about antecedent factors influencing the development of ELOC. Methods:Over 12,000 pregnant women who enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in south-west England, had completed a brief version of the Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External LOC scale, together with detailed questions concerning their own parents and childhood. A series of hypothesis-free structured backwards stepwise logistic regression analyses used an exposome approach with ELOC as the outcome. Results:Significant positive associations were found with smoking of the parents of the surveyed women, including prenatal exposure, and their own onset of regular smoking in mid-childhood (6-11 years). Increased odds of ELOC were also found with the absence of their fathers in early childhood, presence of older siblings, and with being born and brought up in the same area as they resided in at the time surveyed. Protective influences in the surveyed women included positive rating of their mother's care, having a relatively educated mother, attending boarding school, their own age (the older they were, the less likely were they to have an external orientation), having a mentally ill parent, a sibling hospitalized or a relative die. Conclusions: There are two conclusions: (i) that not all stressful events contribute to the development of ELOC and it would be essential for models of antecedents of ELOC to take note of this complexity, and (ii) there are consistent (albeit unexpected) findings that highlight associations with cigarette smoke exposure of the woman from fetal life through to when starting to smoke regularly herself in mid-childhood. It is important that these findings are tested in other populations.

The role of locus of control in nyaope addiction treatment

Background: Nyaope addiction is a significant health and social problem affecting some South African communities. With reported nyaope rehabilitation success rates of less than 3% and estimated dropout rates of 40%, improvement in the rehabilitation rates is essential. As locus of control (LOC) is a recognised predictive factor in the onset of substance use and rehabilitation outcomes, a rehabilitation programme aligned to the LOC orientation of the user could result in improved recovery outcomes. This study aimed to determine the LOC of nyaope users.Methods: Consenting adult male and female nyaope users voluntary participated in this quantitative study. After convenient sampling, 115 nyaope users admitted to drug rehabilitation centres registered and funded by the Gauteng Department of Social Development and 106 nyaope users from the streets of urban areas of Tshwane completed a self-administered validated questionnaire. LOC orientation was determined by giving participants 13 statements from which they had to choose the option that best described their situation in relation to drug addiction.Results: A total of 24.5% (47/192) of the respondents could be classified as having an external LOC orientation while 75.5% (145/192) were classified as having an internal LOC orientation.Conclusions: By determining the LOC orientation of a nyaope user, rehabilitation programmes could be aligned to suit the personality of the user leading to a better chance of successful recovery with fewer cases of readmission.

Locus of control and coping strategies in older persons with and without depression

Objectives: To compare locus of control and coping strategies in older persons with and without depression.Method: This cross-sectional study included 144 depressed in-patients from seven psychogeriatric hospital units, and 106 community-dwelling older persons without depression. All participants were 60 years and older. Locus of control was assessed by a 17-items self-report questionnaire with six response categories. Coping strategies were assessed by a 26-items self-report questionnaire with five response categories. For analytical purposes, age (<75 years vs. ≥75 years), level of education (<10 years vs. ≥10 years) and general medical health (poor vs. not poor) were categorized.Results: In linear regression analysis, controlling for demographics, health, and social variables, the depressed in-patients showed a higher external locus of control orientation and a less frequent use of problem-focused coping strategies compared with the non-depressed group. No differences in use of emotion-focused strategies were found between the two groups.Conclusion: Compared with the non-depressed old persons, the depressed hospitalized older persons were characterized by perceptions of less personal control, and less use of problem-focused strategies, what also might have brought positive alterations into their situation.

Work Locus of Control and Workplace Bullying: The Moderating Effect of Work Centrality

This study examined the moderating effect of work centrality on work locus of control and workplace bullying. A total of two hundred and forty-one (241) participants were selected and used as participants in the study. A 10-item Work Centrality Questionnaire (WCQ) designed by Paullay et al., (1994), 16-item Work Locus of Control Scale designed by Paul E. Spector (1988) and the 22-item Workplace Bullying Questionnaire which was designed by Einarsen & Hoel (2001) were used to measure the variables. Result showed that there is a significant effect of work locus of control on workplace bullying and that employee with external locus of control orientation perceived higher workplace bullying than employees with internal locus of control. There is a significant effect of work centrality on workplace bullying, with employees that are high in work centrality reporting lesser experience of workplace bullying. A significant sex difference in work centrality was also observed but there are no significant sex difference in work locus of control and bullying. Finally, we found that work centrality moderate the effect of work locus of control on work place bullying. Implications of our findings are discussed.

The Influence of Personal Characteristics and Coping Strategies on Salespersons’ Turnover Intentions

Understanding what contributes to salesperson turnover helps reduce turnover and its deleterious consequences. This study examines the interactive effects of salespersons’ personal characteristics and coping strategies on turnover intentions. Findings suggest that self-efficacy combined with problem-focused coping significantly reduces salespersons’ turnover intentions—more so than self-efficacy alone. In contrast, while an external locus of control orientation combined with emotion-focused coping significantly increases turnover intentions, the increase is not as great as from external locus of control alone. Neither the combined effect of self-efficacy and emotion-focused coping nor external locus of control and problem-focused coping are found to significantly influence turnover intentions.

When is Fantasy Proneness Associated with Distress? An Examination of Two Models

Fantasy prone individuals frequently turn their attention inward, focusing on a rich internal world of imaginary people or stories, vivid memories or dreams, and emotions or sensations cued by internal stimuli. While engaging in fantasy or daydreaming can often be an enjoyable pastime, some research has linked fantasy proneness to heightened psychological distress. The present study of 83 undergraduates utilized 2 models to examine the relationship between fantasy proneness and symptoms of depression, 1 mediated by an avoidant coping style and the other moderated by an external locus of control orientation. Analyses revealed that locus of control did moderate this relationship, with fantasy proneness being more strongly linked to symptoms of depression in those subjects with an external locus of control orientation. Fantasy proneness was not significantly correlated with an avoidant coping style.

The Effects of Escalating Commitment on Ethical Decision-Making

Although scholars have invoked the escalation framework as a means of explaining the occurrence of numerous organizationally undesirable behaviors on the part of decision makers, to date no empirical research on the potential influences of escalating commitment on the likelihood of unethical behavior at the individual level of analysis has been reported in either the escalation or the ethical decision-making literatures. Thus, the main purpose of this project is to provide a theoretical foundation and empirical support for the contention that escalating commitment situations can induce unethical behavior in decision makers. An experimental research design utilizing a computerized investment task was administered to 155 undergraduate business majors as a means of assessing the hypotheses presented here. Results from a hierarchical logistic regression analysis found strong support for the contention that exposure to an escalation situation increases the likelihood of unethical behavior on the part of decision makers. Further, results also supported previous ethical decision-making findings by confirming the effects of locus of control (LOC) on ethical behavior. Specifically, the data indicated that individuals with an external LOC orientation were significantly more likely to select the unethical option than were individuals with an internal LOC orientation. Interestingly, support was not found for the effects of Machiavellianism or gender on ethical decision-making.

Relationships among fashion consumer groups, locus of control, boredom proneness, boredom coping and intrinsic enjoyment

AbstractFashion change agents and fashion followers differ in their need for mental stimulation. Within a context of fashion diffusion theory, this study examined the effects of locus of control and fashion consumer group on three attributes linked to mental stimulation – boredom proneness, intrinsic enjoyment, and boredom coping. For this US sample of young women, an internal locus of control orientation was associated with a higher level of fashion innovativeness and opinion leadership. Fashion change agents, with either an internal or external locus of control orientation, and fashion followers with an external locus of control orientation, were similar in their heightened ability to entertain themselves (internal stimulation). Fashion followers with an external locus of control orientation were less able to entertain themselves than the other three groups.

Environmental Factors, Locus of Control, and Adolescent Suicide Risk

This exploratory study seeks to better understand possible relationships between environmental factors, locus of control, and suicide risk among adolescents. The data derive from in-school surveys of eight-grade students conducted in 1998 and 1999 in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Wyoming. Results revealed higher levels of suicide risk were associated with a more external locus of control orientation. Relationships between suicide risk and several environmental factors and preferences also were found. Potential links between locus of control, environment, and suicide risk are discussed, as are implications for intervention efforts and future research.

Locus of control and weight reduction

The objective of this study was to determine if locus of control orientation is predictive for weight loss among participants in a behaviour modification weight reduction programme. The subjects completed a locus of control questionnaire consisting of 40 questions before starting the programme and again after 1 year. Forty-one participants started the programme, 28 remained after 1 year. Their weight loss was significant ( P<0.001) and associated with an internal locus of control orientation ( P<0.05). The findings suggest that different weight reduction activities could be offered depending on the person’s locus of control orientation. Participants with an internal orientation could be offered a standard weight reduction programme. Others, with a more external locus of control orientation, could be offered an adapted programme, which also focused on and encouraged the participants’ internal orientation.

The Relationship between Family and Sibling Functioning in Families Raising a Child with a Disability

Although considerable research exists concerning families raising children with disabilities, relatively little work has examined the linkages between parent and sibling functioning. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate the relationship between parental perceptions of family functioning and school-aged siblings' social skills and problem behaviors. A purposive sample of 78 sets of parents and their school-aged children participated. Half of the families were raising a child with a disability, and half of the families were not raising a child with a disability. Mothers and fathers completed the Porter-O'Leary Scale and Bloom's Family Functioning Measure. Teachers of the school-aged children completed a modification of the Gresham and Elliot Social Skills Rating System. Results indicated siblings of both groups demonstrate more social skills than problem behaviors, and siblings of children with disabilities were higher in cooperation and self-control than siblings of children without disabilities. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed fathers' perceptions of family conflict and external locus of control orientation, and mothers' perceptions of marital conflict predicted externalizing behaviors for female siblings of children with a disability.

Using the Locus of Control Personality Dimension as a Predictor of Online Behavior

Since the 16th century, the availability of communication technology has advanced the level and accessibility of commerce and personal freedoms. The advent of the computer as a personal communication tool has given individuals new power in their ability to communicate, gain information, and make decisions. A major paradigm shift has been in the control that the individual now has in a consumer role. The internet has provided consumers a vehicle by which they can actively participate in the decision-making process – from need recognition to post-purchase evaluation. Little research has been done to explore the personality characteristics of internet users. This study examines one aspect of personality, locus of control, and internet behavior. Research findings reveal substantial differences in internet usage and attitudes between a consumer's internal or external locus of control orientation. Results and future research relative to this study are discussed.

Argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness as a function of locus of control

This study examined argumentativeness, verbal aggressiveness, and general control expectancies. Two hundred ten (N=210) participants completed the Argumentativeness Scale, the Verbal Aggressiveness Scale, and a modified version of the Three‐Factor Locus of Control Scale. Results indicate that individuals who reportan internal control orientation were found toreport lower levels of argument avoidance than externals. Externals reported higher levels of verbal aggressiveness than internals. Further, an external locus of control orientation was positively related to verbal aggressiveness. Internal locus of control orientation was negatively related to tendency to avoid arguments. The findings provide further evidence into the relationship between control expectancies and aggressive communication traits.

Relationship of Locus of Control Orientation to Clothing Satisfaction and Clothing Importance of Selected Fifth‐Grade Students at Three Achievement Levels

The purpose of this study is to determine if a relationship exists between locus of control and clothing satisfaction and clothing importance among Sth‐grade boys and girls at 3 achievement levels. Locus of control refers to the expectancy that an outcome is influenced either by external factors (i.e., luck, chance, fate, or powerfid others) or by internal factors (i.e., effort, skill, or ability). One accelerated, 1 special education, and 3 regular 5th‐grade classes were surveyed (44 girls; 62 boys) using the Clothing Deprivation Scale and Nowicki‐Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children. Overall, girls exhibited a greater external locus of control orientation than boys. Students of both sexes in the accelerated class had a greater internal locus of control orientation and perceived clothing to be of greater importance than students in the regular and special education classes. All students with an internal locus of control also indicated higher satisfaction with their clothing than students with an external locus of control orientation. The relationship between locus of control and clothing satisfaction and importance may be used to help students develop an internal locus of control, which has been found to be an adaptive orientation.