Locus of control (Rotter 1966) refers to only one type of control belief an individual’s beliefs about the extent of control that they have over things that happen to them. The more anxious or depressed a person is, the more external their locus of control tends to be and a greater external locus of control is associated with a greater vulnerability to physical illness. Throughout the psychotherapeutic intervention, the locus of control tends to become more internalized.
The “locus of control” is a personality construct referring to an individual’s perception of the locus of events as determined internally by his/her belief that an outcome is directly the result of his/her behavior.
How much we feel in control in each area of our lives predicts life satisfaction and even the likelihood of positive outcomes (Galvin, Randel,
Collins, & Johnson, 2018).
Our beliefs regarding control impact our motivation, behavior, and the potential for success at work and outside.
Individuals who feel they are in the driver’s seat, rather than being controlled by their environment, often experience elevated life satisfaction, persistence, conscientiousness, and psychological well-being (Zeigler-Hill & Shackelford, 2020).
This article explores the importance our locus of control plays in our lives and introduces several questionnaires, tests, and resources to help therapists become more aware of clients’ sense of autonomy.
What are the two types of locus of control?
How do the internal and external locus of control work? Let’s break down what defines these two types of locus of control.
Internal locus of control
Internal locus of control means that control comes from within. You have personal control over your behavior.
When you have an internal locus of control, you believe you have personal agency over your own life and actions. Because of this, these people tend to have more self-efficacy.
If you succeed, you believe it’s because you did the right thing and put in the right amount of effort. If you experience failure, you’ll blame no one but yourself. You’ll believe that you could have changed the outcome if you’d worked harder or made different decisions.
Someone who has a lot of resilience and who also has an internal locus of control is likely to be driven toward success. Studies have shown that, in general, people who have this type of locus of control tend to be better off than those who don’t.
This is likely because people with an internal locus of control take responsibility and accountability for their actions. They have greater expectations for themselves because they don’t believe that luck will help them succeed. As a result, they tend to take control of their work, their personal goals, and anything else that’s important to them.
But what do studies say about the internal locus of control when it comes to gender differences? On this topic, not all researchers came to the same conclusion. Some studies show that the internal locus of control is more common in men than women. But other studies say the opposite.
This means that having an internal drive related to your locus of control likely has nothing to do with your gender. It is more likely that it’s influenced by how a person experienced rewards and punishments as they grew up.
External locus of control
External locus of control means that control stems from external forces. When you have an external locus of control, you believe that events outside of your control drive your actions and the outcomes you get.
If you win a game, you’ll believe that you won because you got lucky. Or, you’ll believe that you won because the other players just weren’t good enough. But if you lose, you’ll believe you ran out of luck. Or, you’ll believe that the other players were just too talented for you to have any chance of winning.
According to several studies, having an external locus of control as a main driving force correlates with several risks for criminal or problematic behavior. Studies also suggest that those with an external locus of control are less open to engaging in treatment than those with an internal locus of control.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that only people with external control of reinforcement can commit offensive behavior.
What it suggests is that people who believe they are at the whim of external forces don’t believe they have the power to control themselves. As a result, they don’t try or don’t take effective action to change their behaviors.
Is Identifying the Locus of Control Important?
The locus (or whereabouts) of control experienced by an individual defines the extent to which they “perceive they control events and outcomes in their lives” and how much they believe their actions drive the rewards they receive (Galvin et al., 2018, p. 1).
The social learning theory, from which the idea of the locus of control originally arose, suggests that we learn by observing what goes on around us, leading us to form beliefs that specific behavior results in predictable outcomes (Rotter, 1966).
Individuals who feel a high degree of control over the events and outcomes in their lives have an internal locus of control. Typically, they believe they are in control of their fate and that results reflect the amount of energy they exert (Galvin et al., 2018).
The continuum of locus of control can be represented as follows (modified from Shojaee & French, 2014):
And it matters. The locus of control and related beliefs affect our cognition and behavior and, as such, have a vital role to play across multiple areas of our lives. While an internal locus of control is typically beneficial, too much can have potential downsides, such as being overly self-reliant and failing to ask for help (Galvin et al., 2018).
Workplace
Research continues to confirm the importance of the locus of control in the workplace. Findings suggest that having a strong internal locus of control has a positive effect on our state of mind and our work, including (Galvin et al., 2018):
- Satisfaction with work
- Commitment to the organization
- Task performance
As such, employees’ perceptions and beliefs surrounding control are an essential consideration in organizational sciences and a valuable factor in creating an environment in which staff flourishes.
Interestingly, research suggests that those who perceive their control as internal are sometimes less able to deal with workplace stress, possibly due to not needing a rigid structure in the organization (Galvin et al., 2018). On the other hand, individuals with an external locus benefit more from formalized ways of working, including job structures, highlighting the complexity involved in the perception of control.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal human response to potential threats, but in excess, it can become debilitating.
While anxiety helps individuals prepare for what is to come in the short term, prolonged, high trait anxiety is a chronic condition that is detrimental to daily life (Zeigler-Hill & Shackelford, 2020).
When confronted with stress, individuals with an internal locus of control adopt problem-focused coping strategies that can act as a buffer against burnout and foster the perception of maintaining ownership over their lives (Galvin et al., 2018).
Seeking support
Those who internalize control tend not to seek additional support when confronted with obstacles. This failure to recognize their need for help may be damaging both to themselves and the task in question and results from a belief that success lies within their hands (Galvin et al., 2018).
With less need for extrinsic motivation from their supervisors, they may see support as superfluous. As a result, they are more inclined to take their actions and rely on themselves to deliver the required results.
Mental health
Research suggests that an internal locus of control is beneficial to mental health. Indeed, Shojaee and French (2014) explored its effects on six essential components of wellbeing:
- Purpose in life
- Self-acceptance
- Positive relations with others
- Autonomy
- Environmental mastery
- Personal growth
The study found that an internal locus of control is beneficial to all of the six mental well-being factors and helps develop positive personal characteristics. Furthermore, a strong external locus of control has been linked to increased depression and heightened suicide rates (Shojaee & French, 2014).
A comparison of internal and external locus of control
Let’s compare the internal and external locus of control side by side and how they influence decision-making:
| Internal Locus of Control | External Locus of Control |
| Believe what they’ve achieved is due to their hard work | Credits luck or timing when they manage to achieve something |
| Take responsibility for their actions | Put the responsibility on forces outside of their control |
| Don’t believe in “fate” | Feel that they can’t change a situation because that’s how it’s meant to be |
| Aren’t usually as influenced by other people’s opinions | Feel hopeless when confronted with a difficult situation |
| Tend to be driven and motivated to achieve something they want | Believe they’ll achieve what they want if the timing is right or if it’s meant to be |
The role of locus of control in everyday life
Let’s explore what a locus of control looks like in work and everyday life.
At first glance, it may seem like an internal locus of control is always more desirable to have. However, an internal locus of control isn’t automatically good. Likewise, an external locus of control isn’t automatically bad.
It all depends on the context. How a type of locus of control manifests itself will vastly depend on someone’s other personality traits.
For example, someone with a strong internal locus of control may be very direct and to the point. While this can make for clear communication in the workplace, it can also lead to a lack of tact. It can be easy to steamroll over others who are less direct.
Someone with a high internal locus of control may also find it difficult to delegate. Once they delegate, things are no longer under their control. Putting this much importance on control can also lead to burnout. Because they believe everything they want to achieve relies on them, the slope toward overworking can be slippery. This can take a toll on mental health and self-esteem.
On the other hand, there can be several positive aspects to having an external locus of control. For instance, these people may be more sensitive to their surroundings and more perceptive of others on the team, potentially making them better team players.
They’re also able to let go of things more easily. They can be happier because of that. Especially when it comes to letting go of external factors that are beyond their control.
However, that “let go” attitude can be both good and bad. While it may lead to peace for some people, it can lead to apathy in others.
Both an internal and external locus of control can lead to social loafing, but for different reasons. Someone with an internal locus of control may begin to loaf if they don’t care enough about the group’s goal. Someone with an external locus of control may loaf because they believe it will work out anyway and that their contribution doesn’t matter to the outcome.
Even though both types have their differences, they can lead to similar outcomes in some cases. The important takeaway is that the types of locus of control aren’t all internal or all external, and not all good or bad.
What are examples of locus of control?
Let’s take a look at what different situations can look like depending on your locus of control.
First, imagine you’re changing careers. Do you have the self-determination to start looking for jobs and maximizing your resume? Or, do you wait for fate to line something up for you?
The former is an example of how an internal locus of control could manifest itself. Instead, the latter represents what someone with an external locus of control might do.
What if, one day, your neighbor got a new luxury car? Do you believe they got lucky and probably got handed all the right opportunities to afford this car? Or do you instead believe they’ve worked hard to finally be able to make that purchase? In this case, the former is an example of an external locus of control.
Finally, let’s imagine you got the promotion you were hoping for. Do you believe you got the promotion because of your hard work? Or do you believe it was luck, timing, or fate that got you there? Again, this latter example showcases an external locus of control.
Do you have a more internal or external locus of control?
Not sure what type of locus of control you have? There are some predictors to help you figure it out. Find out what locus of control drives your motivation by checking out these characteristics.
Characteristics of an internal locus of control
Here are some examples of what you may believe if you have an internal locus of control:
- By working hard and practicing self-control, it’s possible to achieve anything I set out to do. I create my opportunities. Waiting for luck is futile.
- No one has a predestined fate. Even if this were the case, it’s always possible to change this fate by making the right choices. In truth, we all make our destinies. We can start over in life at any point we choose.
- People usually get what they deserve at the end of the day. Our choices and actions determine our happiness. If you work hard and treat others with kindness and respect, you will be more likely to succeed. If you don’t put in the effort and don’t respect people, you’re unlikely to succeed and be happy.
- With dedication and determination, you can succeed and be great at problem-solving. It has nothing to do with luck or chance. Everything happens because someone acted in a specific way.
- The world is the way it is because people are the way they are. If we want to change the world, we need to change our behavior. It’s entirely up to us. We’re in control.
- It’s important to set goals and create a personal vision statement so that my short-term actions can influence my long-term outcomes.
Characteristics of an external locus of control
Here are some examples of what you may believe if you have an external locus of control:
- Life events are all about luck and chance. Some people get lucky, and others don’t. It’s completely random and up to fate.
- People don’t have a lot of control over what happens in the world. We can all strive to achieve something, but in the end, things will work out the way they were intended to.
- I have little to no control over my own life. Outside forces are exercising control instead.
- Long-term goal setting isn’t worth it since events outside of my control can disrupt them. It’s better to go with the flow and see what happens.
- What happens to people isn’t related to what they deserve. Good people who work hard don’t always succeed. Greedy people sometimes get lucky and get it all. I have learned helplessness in the face of these situations.
2 Best Locus of Control Questionnaires
There are questionnaires to measure a client’s locus of control, and we discuss the following two questionnaires.
Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scales
Despite some concerns regarding the underlying factorial validity, the 18-item Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scales (MHLC) remain widely used in health psychology (Kassianos, Symeou, & Ioannou, 2016).
The MHLC comprises three scales – Internal Health Locus of Control, Powerful Others Health Locus of Control, and Chance Health Locus of Control – and builds on Levenson’s (1974) IPC scale. Each of the six items per scale is scored on a range between strongly agree and strongly disagree (Moshki, Ghofranipour, Hajizadeh, & Azadfallah, 2007).
The following sample statements are taken from forms A and B, used for the locus of control regarding general health:
- If I get sick, it is my behavior that determines how soon I will get well again.
- Most things that affect my health happen to me by accident.
- The main thing that affects my health is what I do.
- Often I feel that no matter what I do if I am going to get sick, I will get sick.
- I can only maintain my health by consulting health professionals.
- It seems that my health is greatly influenced by accidental happenings.
Taken from form C, the following statements are designed to be condition-specific:
- As to my condition, what will be will be.
- If I see my doctor regularly, I am less likely to have problems with my condition.
- Most things that affect my condition happen to me by chance.
Over recent decades, the MHLC scales have been applied across various medical domains, including general health, quality of life, menopause, old age, chronic illnesses, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Schepers’s Locus of Control Questionnaire
This 80-item questionnaire (extended from 65 items to improve reliability) is based on the social learning theory and attribution theory. It scores individuals on their degree of internal control, external control, and autonomy (Schepers, 2004; Boshoff & Van Zyl, 2011).
The questionnaire has also proved successful across multiple ethnic groups and offers a valuable instrument for diverse populations.
Now in its fifth edition, the tool has received widespread confirmation of its reliability and continues to be widely used (The JVR Africa Group, 2016).
2 Valid Scales Used by Psychologists
The following two scales are sometimes used together to form a more complete picture of the client, including their wellbeing and locus of control:
Ryff Scales of Psychological Wellbeing
The Ryff Scales of Psychological Wellbeing can be used to measure and compare mental well-being with the locus of control (Shojaee & French, 2014).
The scales consist of 84 questions (long-form version) or 54 questions (shortened version) that measure autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, and purpose in life. For example (Ryff & Keyes, 1995):
- Some people wander through life, but I am not one of them.
- In general, I feel in charge of the situation in which I live.
- People would describe me as a giving person, willing to share my time with others.
- I like most aspects of my personality.
While not a direct measure of locus of control, the answers provide valuable insight into psychological well-being for comparison purposes.
Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale
Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale is widely used in psychological research to score internal versus external locus of control (Shojaee & French, 2014).
Comprising 29 statement pairs, the individual chooses the one that best reflects their beliefs. For example:
- A) Children get into trouble because their parents punish them too much.
B) The trouble with most children nowadays is that their parents are too easy on them. - A) Many of the unhappy things in people’s lives are partly due to bad luck.
B) People’s misfortunes result from the mistakes they make. - A) One of the major reasons why we have wars is because people don’t take enough interest in politics.
B) There will always be wars, no matter how hard people try to prevent them.
Based on the answers given, the individual is measured on two different types of locus of control: internal and external (Shojaee & French, 2014).
3 Popular Locus of Control Tests
There are several popular loci of control tests and questionnaires available online, including the following:
Mind Tools – Locus of Control
In this quick-to-complete online questionnaire, the user reads 22 paired statements and selects the statement they prefer.
It is similar to Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale, with statements such as (Mind Tools, n.d.):
- A) Bad luck is what leads to many disappointments in life.
B) Disappointments are usually the result of mistakes you make. - A) Political unrest and war normally occur in countries where people don’t get involved or assert their political rights.
B) No matter how much people get involved, war and political unrest will occur. - A) You “reap what you sow.” In the end, your rewards will be directly related to what you accomplish.
B) Despite your effort and hard work, what you accomplish will probably go unnoticed.
When you click Calculate My Total, it returns a value of Internal Locus of Control (strong), Internal Locus of Control (moderate), or External Locus of Control (Mind Tools, n.d.).
University of Virginia – Darden School of Business
This handy Locus of Control Instrument contains 20 true-or-false questions.
For example:
I usually get what I want out of life.
I need to be kept informed about news events.
If I do not succeed on a task, I tend to give up.
My life seems to be a series of random events.
Once complete, a table helps you calculate your degree of internal versus external locus of control. The score, between 0 and 100, identifies the individual as having a very strong external locus of control, external locus of control, both external and internal locus of control, internal locus of control, or very strong internal locus of control.
Guidance is then provided on interpreting the individual’s score, and advice is given on the impact of controlling your environment.
National Health Service
Created by the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, this downloadable table is an abbreviated version of the Nicholson McBride Resilience Questionnaire. It contains 10 yes-no questions (which could be modified if required).
The scores are based on the answers given to each question, such as
Add two for a ‘yes’ answer for each of the following questions:
- Do you make your own decisions, regardless of what other people say?
- If something goes wrong, do you usually reckon it’s your fault rather than just bad luck?
Add two points for a ‘no’ answer for each of the following questions:
- Do you find it a waste of time to plan because something always causes you to change direction?
- Are most of the things you do design to please other people?
An overall score over 20 suggests the person who completes it takes control of their life and has an internal locus of control.
Conclusion
Locus of control “is defined as a person’s tendency to see events as being controlled internally or externally” (Shojaee & French, 2014, p. 969). Crucially, it defines a person’s belief about whether they are truly self-independent or under the control of others.
Internalizers feel responsible for what happens in their lives and own the outcome, while externalizers believe that fate, chance, and luck (external influences) decide what occurs in their lives.
The degree of internal and external locus of control, which can be situationally dependent, affects how much a person believes that the likelihood and size of the reward are driven by how they address situations and overcome difficulties.
An internal locus of control has many benefits, not least improved psychological wellbeing, but it also appears to offer a degree of protection from depression and harmful behavior. As a specific example, while an employee with a strong internal locus of control may at times be too self-reliant, typically they are more satisfied with work, are more committed to what they are doing, and may even perform better at the tasks they are given.
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