Locus of Control Elenuel T. Genova Ph.D Student

Locus of control  Locus of Control defines the term as a theory in personality psychology referring to the extent to which individuals believe that they can control events that affect them.  According to Weiner (1980) it is an individual’s generalized expectations concerning where control over subsequent events resides.  Locus of control refers to where an individual’s control of events comes from; whether internal or external.

Locus of control  Internals. Individuals who believe that they control what happen to them, or that events or outcomes are due to their own actions.. This control emanates from within the police officers who believe that they are responsible for their actions because they make the decisions or choices as determined by their responses to the questionnaires in this regard such as.” Promotions are earned through hard work and persistence”; I am the master of my fate”; etc.  Externals. Individuals who believe that what happens to them is controlled by or due to outside forces such as luck or chances; as measured by such items as “ Getting promoted is really a matter of being a little luckier than the next person”; “ Making a lot of money is largely a matter of getting the right breaks”, etc.

 Most of us have at least a potential understanding of the concept and theory in the personality psychology. Since became an aspect of personality studies, a person’s is conceptualized as either the person believes they can control their life, they believe that their decision and life are controlled by environmental factors which they cannot influence.

 Persons with a high internal locus of control believe that events in their life derive primarily from their own actions. If they performed well on a test, they would attribute this to ability to study. Then, if they performed well on the test, they might think the teacher was lenient or that they were lucky.  Those with a high internal locus of control exhibit better control of their behavior, tend to be more politically involved and more likely attempt to influence others than are those with an external locus of control. They also assign greater likelihood to their efforts being successful, and more actively seek information concerning their situation.

 According of Robbins (1991) Internals believe that their own experiences are controlled by their own skills of efforts. Example “The more I study, the better grades I get”. Externals tend to attribute their experiences to fate, chance or luck. Example: A student attributes either his success or failure to having a bad day, unfair grading procedure or favoritism on the teacher’s part, or even GOD’s will. External consequently tend to lack persistence and not how very high levels of expectation.

 Robbins (1991) succinctly differentiated between the Locus of Control of two different persons. He said that some people believe that they are masters of their own fate; they believe that they control their destinies and consequently are labeled as internals. Other people see themselves as pawns of fate, believing that what happens to them is due to luck or chance; they see their lives as being controlled by outside forces and are therefore called externals.

 Externals are generally more dissatisfied with their job because the perceive themselves to have a little control over those outcomes that are important to them. Internals, facing the same situation attribute outcomes toothier own action. When the situation is an attractive, they believe that they have no one else to blame but themselves. Also, the dissatisfied internal is more likely to quit a dissatisfying job.  Internals are motivated to achieve. This achievement orientation has also been singled out as a personality characteristic that varies among employees and that can be used to predict certain behaviors.

 The end.