Internal Control Beliefs Research Articles

Do early midlife work characteristics predict 20-year change in control beliefs?

Previous research showed the importance of control beliefs for many life outcomes. The present study examines associations between subjectively perceived work environment and objectively measured work activities at the beginning of midlife as a central developmental phase in the context of work, with control beliefs across the subsequent 20 years. We analyzed four-wave longitudinal data from N = 374 participants (born 1950-1952; Mage baseline = 44 years, SD = 1; 44% women) from the Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study of Adult Development and Aging within a structural equation modeling framework. Over 20 years and overall, internal control beliefs were stable, while external control beliefs decreased. Individuals who reported higher task variety and better social integration at work at baseline also reported higher levels of control beliefs for positive life outcomes. In addition, higher social integration at work at baseline was related to lower levels of external control beliefs. Work characteristics at baseline were not associated with individual differences in change in control beliefs across the 20-year observational interval. In summary, our findings suggest that work experiences at the prime of job-related development around the midst of the fifth decade of life do not play a major role in subsequent control beliefs development across 20 years. However, investigations measuring control beliefs as well as work characteristics continuously over a long period of time are necessary to shed light on reciprocal influences between work and personality. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The employment expectations of adolescents: Examining the role of social origin, parental support, and personality traits

Early life course conditions and the social origin of families frequently influence the inequalities people experience in adulthood. The transition from education to work is a challenging period during which adolescents make their first employment-related choices and establish the course of their careers. Future expectations guide adolescents’ employment-related choices and are assumed to influence future employment outcomes. Therefore, this paper investigates whether family (dis)advantages affect adolescents’ employment expectations. We assess various underlying mechanisms that may influence the relationship between social origin and adolescents’ employment expectations by using cross-sectional data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP: 2006–2018), specifically a youth questionnaire administered at age 17. Three key findings emerge. First, family disadvantages, particularly an insecure parental labor market participation, influence the employment expectations of adolescents negatively. Second, supportive parenting does not mediate the relationship between social origin and the employment expectations of adolescents; instead, it functions as an additional positive factor. Third, supportive parenting creates more optimistic employment expectations because it fosters specific “beneficial” personality traits, such as extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, agreeableness, and internal control beliefs.

Control beliefs as mediators between education and quality of life in patients with breast, prostate, colorectal, and lung cancer: a large register based study

ObjectiveControl beliefs have been found to influence adaption to a cancer diagnosis. This study explored interrelationships among education, control beliefs, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with breast, prostate, colorectal, and lung cancer and tested weather control beliefs act as mediators.MethodsSix hundred and five patients with breast (n = 205), prostate (n = 205), colorectal (n = 124), and lung (n = 71) cancer from two German cancer registries answered standardized questionnaires. Response rate was 54%. HRQoL was assessed with the EORTC QLQ-C30 core questionnaire and control beliefs (internal, external, and fatalistic) were evaluated using the IPC-questionnaire. Education was measured on a scale ranging from 1 to 8. Data were analyzed using multiple mediation models.ResultsThere was a positive correlation between education and HRQoL. Internal beliefs were positive and external beliefs were negative correlated with HRQoL. Internal control beliefs mediated the relationship between education and global health-related quality of life (.299, CI .122, .531), physical functioning (.272, CI .110, .486), emotional functioning (.325, CI .120, .578), and pain (-.288, CI − .558, − .094). External and fatalistic control beliefs did not act as mediators.ConclusionPatients with low education feel they have less control over their cancer disease and consequently a poorer health-related quality of life.

Constructing Sustainable Learning Ecology to Overcome Burnout of Teachers: Perspective of Organizational Identity and Locus of Control

This study examined how organizational identity, locus of control, and their interrelationships affect teacher burnout. Utilizing a quantitative survey, data were collected from 105 teachers. The Maslach Burnout Inventory measured three burnout dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Locus of control was assessed via Rotter’s scale. Organizational identity was measured through the Multiple Organizational Identification Scale, assessing personal self-esteem, emotional professional identity, evaluative identification, self-classification, and team factors. PLS-SEM analysis found that external locus of control had a significant positive association with emotional exhaustion. Emotional professional identity showed robust negative relationships with depersonalization and exhaustion. Differences emerged between novice and senior teachers—identity and self-esteem were more relevant for novices, while team factors were more impactful for experienced teachers. Variations also occurred across genders, with identity and self-esteem more salient for females and team dynamics more influential for males. The study highlights the complex interplay between individual, relational, and organizational factors in shaping teacher burnout. An external locus of control may exacerbate exhaustion, while emotional professional identity seems to provide resilience. Support initiatives should account for teachers’ evolving developmental needs and gender variations in burnout experiences. Fostering internal control beliefs, strong professional identity, and tailored support based on career stage and gender can potentially buffer against burnout. This study contributes insights to guide targeted efforts to promote teacher well-being, effectiveness, and retention. Learning in the workplace instead of paying more time for education services can be considered as overcoming burnout, redesigning and implementing digital teaching for sustainable teaching and learning for both teachers and students in order to construct a better learning ecology.

Quality of life and healthcare costs of patients with allergic respiratory diseases: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAllergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic asthma (AA) are chronic respiratory diseases that represent a global health problem. One aim of this study was to analyze the Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of the patients in order to identify statistically significant influencing factors that determine HRQoL. Another aim was to assess and analyze data on cost-of-illness from a statutory health insurance perspective.Methods The EQ-5D-5L was used to evaluate the patients’ HRQoL. To identify the factors influencing the HRQoL, a multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted using groups based on the EQ-5D-5L index value as dependent variable. Routine data were analyzed to determine total healthcare costs.Results The average EQ-5D-5L index was 0.85 (SD 0.20). A high age, the amount of disease costs, low internal health-related control beliefs and high ozone exposure in the residential area were found to be statistically significant influencing factors for a low HRQoL, whereas low age, male sex and a good possibility to avoid the allergens were found to be statistically significant factors influencing a high HRQoL. On average, the study participants incurred annual costs of €3072 (SD: 3485), of which €699 (SD: 743) could be assigned to allergic respiratory diseases.Conclusions Overall, the patients in the VerSITA study showed a high level of HRQoL. The identified influencing factors can be used as starting points for improving the HRQoL of patients with allergic respiratory diseases. From the perspective of a statutory health insurance, per person expenditures for allergic respiratory diseases are rather low.

Personality growth after relationship losses: Changes of perceived control in the years around separation, divorce, and the death of a partner.

BackgroundPrevious research suggests that romantic relationships play a crucial role for perceived control. However, we know surprisingly little about changes in perceived control before and after the end of romantic relationships.MethodsBased on data from the Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), a nationally representative household panel study from Germany, we examined changes of perceived control in the years around separation from a partner (N = 1,235), divorce (N = 423), and the death of a partner (N = 437).ResultsMultilevel analyses revealed that external control beliefs were higher in but not beyond the first year after separation from a partner. Internal and total control beliefs increased gradually in the years after separation. Moreover, internal control beliefs were higher in and especially beyond the first year after the death of a partner compared to the years before. No evidence was found that perceived control already changed in the years before relationship losses or in the years around a divorce.ConclusionTaken together, these findings point toward stress-related growth of perceived control after some relationship losses–especially separation and the death of a partner.

They are Doing Well, but is it by Doing Good? Pathways from Nonpolitical and Political Volunteering to Subjective Well-Being in Age Comparison

We investigated whether higher internal control beliefs (perceived control, political efficacy) and improved social relationships (lower loneliness, social support availability) mediated the associations between nonpolitical and political volunteering and subjective well-being (SWB; life satisfaction, emotional well-being). Moreover, we examined whether these effects differed between nonpolitical and political volunteering and across age groups. We conducted longitudinal multilevel regression analyses of data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (1985–2016) in younger (14–29, n = 7,547), middle-aged (40–50, n = 6,437), and older (65–75, n = 3,736) adults (see preregistration at https://osf.io/qk6mu). Significant effects on SWB emerged mainly in older adults who reported higher life satisfaction on occasions with more frequent nonpolitical volunteering than usual but lower life satisfaction on occasions with more frequent political volunteering. The negative effect of political volunteering was mediated by higher loneliness. In younger and middle-aged adults, mixed effects of nonpolitical and political volunteering on the mediating variables and no significant effects on SWB emerged. We discuss methodological, contextual, and life-stage explanations of our findings.

Aging Living at Home: Residential Satisfaction among Active Older Adults Based on the Perceived Home Model.

Background: Housing plays an important role in the aging process and health. The house and its nearby environment host most of the daily activities of older adults. Residential satisfaction (RS) has been relegated to physical issues such as accessibility. However, RS is also constituted by older adults’ perceptions about housing. This study analyzes the perceived home that develops RS in older adults. Methods: A random sample of 714 participants aged 50 to 84 (mean = 65; SD = 0.98) were used. Participants lived in ordinary housing in southern Spain. Scales measure perceptions of RS, meaning, functionality and belief of control over the home. Results: Analyses were performed using structural equation models to evaluate the dependence relationships between the different perceptions evaluated. We observe a direct influence of internal control on usability (β = 0.84) and perceived meanings (β = 0.49). However, external control shows a negative influence on the meaning of home (β = −0.14). Perceived usability (β = 0.68) and meaning (β = 0.32) positively influence RS. Conclusion: Perceptions of meaning, functionality and RS itself depend on internal housing-related control beliefs. Active older adults with higher internal control perceived their home fit better to the need of everyday life and improve RS.

Location, Location, Location: The Role of Objective Neighborhood Characteristics for Perceptions of Control

Introduction: Control beliefs can protect against age-related declines in functioning. It is unclear whether neighborhood characteristics shape how much control people perceive over their life. This article studies associations of neighborhood characteristics with control beliefs of residents of a diverse metropolitan area (Berlin, Germany). Methods: We combine self-report data about perceptions of control obtained from participants in the Berlin Aging Study II (N = 507, 60–87 years, 51% women) with multisource geo-referenced indicators of neighborhood characteristics using linear regression models. Results: Findings indicate that objective neighborhood characteristics (i.e., unemployment rate) are indeed tied to perceptions of control, in particular, how much control participants feel others have over their lives. Including neighborhood characteristics in part doubled the amount of explained variance compared with a reference model covarying for demographic characteristics only (from R2 = 0.017 to R2 = 0.030 for internal control beliefs; R2 = 0.056 to R2 = 0.102 for external control beliefs in chance; R2 = 0.006 to R2 = 0.030 for external control beliefs in powerful others). Discussion/Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of access to neighborhood resources for control beliefs across old age and can inform interventions to build up neighborhood characteristics which might be especially helpful in residential areas with high unemployment.

Internal control beliefs shape positive affect and associated neural dynamics during outcome valuation

Experiencing events as controllable is essential for human well-being. Based on classic psychological theory, we test how internal control beliefs impact the affective valuation of task outcomes, neural dynamics and ensuing behavioral preferences. In three consecutive studies we show that dynamics in positive affect increase, with a qualitative shift towards self-evaluative pride, when agents believe they caused a given outcome. We demonstrate that these outcomes engage brain networks processing self-referential information in the cortical midline. Here, activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex tracks outcome valence regarding both success as well as internal control, and covaries with positive affect in response to outcomes. These affective dynamics also relate to increased functional coupling between the ventral striatum and cortical midline structures. Finally, we show that pride predicts preferences for control, even at monetary costs. Our investigations extend recent models of positive affect and well-being, and emphasize that control beliefs drive intrinsic motivation.

Preferred ways of giving birth in non-pregnant and pregnant nulliparous women: the role of control beliefs

Purpose To explore the association between delivery-specific, health-related control beliefs and preferred ways of delivery in nulliparous Hungarian women. Moreover, since data about the delivery-specific control beliefs and delivery-related preferences of non-pregnant nulliparous women are lacking, the present study also seeks to provide descriptive information in this regard. Methods A total of 984 Hungarian nulliparous women (26.45 ± 5.42 years; 660/77.2% non-pregnant and 224/22.8% pregnant) were included in the present study. The online assessment included measures of delivery-specific (internal-, healthcare professional-, and chance-related) health control beliefs, fears of childbirth, self-esteem, as well as preferences regarding delivery setting (i.e. spontaneous vaginal birth in hospital, planned cesarean birth and home birth). Results Healthcare professional-related control beliefs were associated with a stronger preference for spontaneous vaginal birth in hospital (OR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.56–2.23) and planned cesarean birth (OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.60–2.40), alongside a weaker preference for home birth (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.25–0.39). In contrast, internal delivery-specific control beliefs predicted a weaker preference for planned cesarean (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.55–0.78) and a stronger preference for home birth (OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.33–2.00). A general preference index for medicalized ways of delivery was negatively associated with internal – and positively with healthcare professional – and chance-related control beliefs (βs = −.173, .074 and .445, respectively). Conclusions Delivery-related control beliefs are important psychological characteristics in the prediction of preferences for ways of delivery. Understanding delivery-specific control beliefs may be an important component of supporting women to give birth in a mentally and physically healthy way.

Cohort differences in adult-life trajectories of internal and external control beliefs: A tale of more and better maintained internal control and fewer external constraints.

Life Span theory posits that sociohistorical contexts shape individual development. In line with this proposition, cohort differences favoring later-born cohorts have been widely documented for cognition and health. However, little is known about historical change in how key resources of psychosocial functioning such as control beliefs develop in old age. We pooled data from 3 independent samples: Berlin Aging Study (6 waves, N = 414); Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study of Adult Development (4 waves, N = 925); and Berlin Aging Study II (4 waves, N = 1,111) to construct overlapping multiyear longitudinal data from ages 61 through 85 years for cohorts born 1905 to 1953 and examine historical changes in within-person trajectories of internal and external control beliefs. Results revealed that earlier-born cohorts exhibit age-related declines in internal control beliefs regarding both desirable and undesirable outcomes, whereas later-born cohorts perceive higher internal control and maintain this advantage into old age. Earlier-born cohorts also experience steep age-related increases in external control beliefs regarding both powerful others and chance, whereas later-born cohorts perceive lower external control and were stable across old age. Education and gender disparities in control beliefs narrowed over historical time. Sociodemographic, physical health, cognitive, and social factors explained some of the differences in control beliefs, and accounted for sizable portions of cohort effects. Our results indicate that current generations of older adults perceive more and better maintained internal control and fewer external constraints. We discuss potential underlying mechanisms and consider conceptual and societal implications of our findings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Deceptive Dynamics in Drug Addiction and Their Role in Control Beliefs and Health Status Reporting: A Study on People With Substance Use Disorder in Treatment

This study aims at exploring deceptive dynamics (i.e., impression management [IM], self-deception, and emotional manipulation [EM]) and their role in control beliefs and health status reporting in a sample of people treated for substance use disorder. Seventy-eight participants following drug rehabilitation treatment were recruited, who provided background information and completed measures of social desirability responding, EM, locus of control, and health-related status. Moderated-regression analyses and t tests were performed. The results highlight that self-deception is associated with not reporting the use of secondary substances and being in treatment for a shorter time period. IM appears as the main deceptive tendency able to account for internal control beliefs and better mental health. Some interaction effects emerge among the examined deceptive tendencies, which suggest to deepen the role of EM as a risk factor for drug relapse and treatment success.

Who can improve the environment—Me or the powerful others? An integrative approach to locus of control and pro-environmental behavior in China

Many people think that only powerful institutions are effective to combat environmental problems, especially in government-guided countries such as China. This study contrasts people’s beliefs in their own abilities to improve the environment to their perceptions of other powers (e.g. government, corporations, higher powers, and earth-cycles). Previous research explored the impact of internal and external control beliefs on individuals’ pro-environmental behavior mostly separately in developed Western countries. Since China’s cultural and sociopolitical environment significantly differs from that of Western countries, we develop and test an integrated model of environmental locus of control (ELOC) to enlighten possible interactions and simultaneous effects in China. As expected, results indicate that internal ELOC generates positive effects on Chinese people’s behaviors. But contrary to our predictions, external ELOC is positively correlated with internal factors and also positively influences behaviors. The belief in one’s own abilities outperforms the belief in others to translate the confidence into reported behaviors. Nevertheless, Chinese perceive a higher level of governmental and corporate responsibility relative to their own environmental impacts which is driven by Confucian values (i.e. group orientation, belief in hierarchy). Compared to relatively consistent internal ELOC, the perceptions of most external ELOC factors significantly differ among provinces by levels of GDP per capita. Promotional programs should stress the individual’s significance through daily behaviors in specific ways such as green purchase, activism, advocate (e.g. persuasion of friends), and recycling. Communicating the impact of powerful institutions might not necessarily trigger responsibility diffusion, but seems to promote the sense of shared responsibility.

Supplemental Material for Cohort Differences in Adult-Life Trajectories of Internal and External Control Beliefs: A Tale of More and Better Maintained Internal Control and Fewer External Constraints

Supplemental Material for Cohort Differences in Adult-Life Trajectories of Internal and External Control Beliefs: A Tale of More and Better Maintained Internal Control and Fewer External Constraints

Unemployment and Reemployment Effects on Locus of Control and Health

While unemployment compromises wellbeing and health, reemployment can mitigate some of its negative effects. Yet, we lack understanding of the underlying mechanism through which these unemployment and reemployment effects occur. In the present study, we integrate models of unemployment, stress, and trait variability to argue that changes in locus of control play a crucial role in explaining health following unemployment and reemployment. Applying propensity score matching to a longitudinal sample of 7,908 individuals from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) reveals that unemployment predicts lower internal locus of control which in turn relates to poorer subjective health. Subgroup analyses show that the decline in internal control beliefs only occurs for involuntary (as compared with voluntary) unemployment. Reemployment reverses this negative effect on health through restoring internal control beliefs. Concluding, our study adds to the extant literature as it uncovers why health changes occur after job loss and job gain.

Internal control beliefs and reference frame concurrently impact early performance monitoring ERPs

This study investigated the impact of criterion-based vs. social reference frames on behavioural and neural correlates of performance monitoring while taking individual differences in control beliefs into account. We conducted two experiments administering a time estimation task in which feedback was either delivered pertaining to participants’ own performance (nonsocial/criterion-based reference) or to the performance of a reference group of previous participants (social reference). In Experiment 1, 34 male volunteers participated. To test generalizability of the observed results to both sexes/genders, we recruited 36 female volunteers for Experiment 2. P2 and P300 amplitudes were generally larger in social than in nonsocial reference trials in the male participants of Experiment 1. ΔFRN amplitudes were larger for social compared to non-social reference trials in Experiment 1. No effects of reference frame were found in the female sample of Experiment 2. Rather, P2 and ΔFRN effects showed opposing patterns for nonsocial versus social reference frames. However, stronger internal control beliefs were accompanied by larger FRN amplitudes of negative social reference trials in both samples, suggesting generalizable effects independent of sex/gender. Enhanced P2 and ΔFRN amplitudes for social versus nonsocial reference trials suggest enhanced attentional capture and higher saliency of socially framed feedback in male participants only. In both sexes/genders, however, the social reference frame possibly challenges internal control beliefs and by this enhances performance monitoring. Our results demonstrate the complex interplay of trait variables and reference frames during performance monitoring influencing our daily lives-reference frames are omnipresent in education and one’s working environment.

Is patient empowerment the key to promote adherence? A systematic review of the relationship between self-efficacy, health locus of control and medication adherence.

BackgroundCurrent health policies emphasize the need for an equitable doctor-patient relationship, and this requires a certain level of patient empowerment. However, a systematic review of the empirical evidence on how empowerment affects medication adherence—the extent to which patients follow the physician’s prescription of medication intake—is still missing. The goal of this systematic review is to sum up current state-of-the-art knowledge concerning the relationship between patient empowerment and medication adherence across medical conditions. As our conceptualization defines health locus of control and self-efficacy as being crucial components of empowerment, we explored the relationship between these two constructs and medication adherence.MethodsRelevant studies were retrieved through a comprehensive search of Medline and PsychINFO databases (1967 to 2017). In total, 4903 publications were identified. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria and quality assessment, 154 articles were deemed relevant. Peer-reviewed articles, written in English, addressing the relationship between empowerment (predictor) and medication adherence (outcome) were included.FindingsHigh levels of self-efficacy and Internal Health Locus of Control are consistently found to promote medication adherence. External control dimensions were found to have mainly negative (Chance and God attributed control beliefs) or ambiguous (Powerful others attributed control beliefs) links to adherence, except for Doctor Health Locus of Control which had a positive association with medication adherence. To fully capture how health locus of control dimensions influence medication adherence, the interaction between the sub-dimensions and the attitudinal symmetry between the doctor and patient, regarding the patient’s control over the disease management, can provide promising new alternatives.DiscussionThe beneficial effect of patients’ high internal and concurrent physician-attributed control beliefs suggests that a so-called “joint empowerment” approach can be suitable in order to foster medication adherence, enabling us to address the question of control as a versatile component in the doctor-patient relationship.

EXTERNAL, NOT INTERNAL CONTROL RELATES TO PHYSICAL FITNESS AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN OLDER ADULTS

Lifespan research has shown that control beliefs are associated with key outcomes of successful aging. However, little is known about whether such associations exist when the focus is on performance-based indicators of everyday physical and cognitive. We test how control beliefs relate to physical and cognitive functioning and investigate age differences in the direction and size of such associations. We analyzed data from 1,090 older adults (Mage=70.11 years; SD=3.9; range 61–88; 51% women) who participated in the Berlin Aging Study-II using structural equation modeling. Results revealed that external control was related to physical health (lower grip strength) and cognitive performance-based indicators (poorer working memory) examined. Findings highlight the differential role of internal and external control beliefs for successful aging.

Control Beliefs and Dehumanization

Abstract. The present research examined the impact of the expression of internal versus external control beliefs on attributions of humanness. Building on previous findings on the cultural norm of internality and the dehumanization of others in social perceptions, we hypothesized that, in a Western society, an individual’s expression of an internal locus of control (i.e., internality) results in a greater degree of humanization of that individual by others than an individual’s expression of an external locus of control (i.e., externality). Two studies examined the effect of a target’s expression of internality (vs. externality) on the attribution or denial of humanness to that target. We measured the targets’ degree of humanization via the mentalization of each target, assessed using the Mind Attribution Scale, and via attributions of uniquely vs. nonuniquely human characteristics (emotions in Study 1, traits in Study 2). Participants also judged the target’s likability. In line with our hypothesis, the target’s expression of internality (compared to externality) consistently resulted in the participants making stronger attributions of humanness to the target. In addition, covariance analyses showed that the participants ascribed more humanness to targets with an internal than with an external locus of control, independent of the target’s likability.