Locus of control theory

Question 1

Who proposed the locus of control theory?

Answer 1

Rotter (1966)

Question 2

Define locus of control?

Answer 2

Locus of control is the extent to which people believe they have control over the events in their lives.

Question 3

What do people with a strong internal locus of control believe?

Answer 3

They believe that they are responsible for themselves which means that their success and failure is due to their own efforts and actions.

Question 4

What do people with a strong external locus of control believe?

Answer 4

They consider external factors such as chance, luck, and other people to be responsible for their efforts and actions therefore success and failure is outside their control.

Question 5

Define the term generalised expectancy?

Answer 5

This occurs to people with an external locus of control. This is when they refuse to partake in health protective behavior because it is beyond their control.

Question 6

Define attribution

Answer 6

Attribution is the process of explaining other people’s behavior and explaining our own behavior

Question 7

What is the difference between internals and externals in the way they attribute behaviour?

Answer 7

Internals and externals attribute own health behaviors differently for example addiction could be explained by ability to avoid risk factors (internal) or explained by genes (external)

Question 8

Give two strengths of the locus of control

Answer 8

• Avtigis (1998) found that high externals were more conformist, so vulnerable to addiction risk factors than high internals
• By 30 those who were assessed as internal at 10 were less likely to be obese or stressed than externals. Therefore, internal locus of control can protect us against stress Catherine Gale et al (2008)

Question 9

What are the main four dimensions of attribution theory?

Answer 9

• Internal and external
• Stable or unstable
• Controllable or uncontrollable
• Specific or global

Question 10

Give one weakness of locus of control.

Answer 10

The link between the between LOC and stress is not simple. The traditional view is that extreme internals cope better with stress that extreme internal. However, Neul Krause (1986) found that the extreme internals respond to unavoidable events by becoming stressed, just as externals do. But some reason internals experience stress because they blame themselves