Obedience: Locus of Control (Dispositional)

Question 1

Define ‘internal locus of control’.

Answer 1

Someone feeling as though they are entirely in control of their actions and taking responsibility for the consequences that are through their own doing.

Question 2

Give an example of a what someone with a high internal locus of control may say regarding their actions.

Answer 2

“That happened because I made it happen.”

Question 3

Define ‘external locus of control’.

Answer 3

Someone feeling as though their actions are not entirely in their control and that things are down to fate, as well as believing in luck.

Question 4

Give an example of a what someone with a high external locus of control may say regarding their actions.

Answer 4

“That happened because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Question 5

Suggest 2 traits of those with an internal locus of control.

Answer 5

1) They cope well in stressful situations

2) They are less reliant on others

Question 6

Suggest 2 traits of those with an external locus of control.

Answer 6

1) They are helpless in stressful situations

2) They are superstitious

Question 7

Which locus of control is likely to be more affected by authority figures?

Answer 7

External

Question 8

Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate 2 supporting ‘evidence’ points.

Answer 8

P - Gretchen Brandt supports
E - She was a ppt in Milgram’s study who refused due to being raised in Nazi Germany and understanding the consequences of blindly following authority
E - This supports the internal locus of control
obeying
P - Oliner and Oliner supports
E - They interviewed 406 Germans who had sheltered Jewish people from the Nazis and they had a high internal locus of control
E - This supports the belief that they have influence of events in their life and so have a high internal locus of control

Question 9

Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate a rejecting ‘evidence’ point.

Answer 9

P - Blass (1991) rejects
E - He reviewed many studies and found that there is no clear link between locus of control and independent behaviour
E - Therefore there may be other factors that lead to obedience and having a certain locus of control just signifies feeling of responsibility for actions when

Question 10

Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate 2 ‘how’ points.

Answer 10

P - Low validity
E - Locus of control is measure by questionnaires and interviews can lead to social desirability bias or acquiescence bias
E - And so would not be measuring what set out to measure due to bias from the ppts
P - Low validity
E - Correlational research looking at the relationship between LOC and obedience lacks the manipulation of variables
E - Cannot establish a cause and effect relationship

Question 11

Does locus of control have any applications?

Answer 11

P - Yes
E - It states that people with high external locus of control are easily influenced by others
E - Therefore may explain the behaviours of so many Nazis that followed Hitler’s orders in murdering Jews

Question 12

Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate 2 ‘credibility’ points.

Answer 12

P - The authoritarian personality contrasts
E - It says we obey due to believing in following an authority figure because we were brought up with strict parents and learnt to displace hostility on minorities
E - And so It may be down to multiple personality types
P - Reductionist
E - Milgram found that situation influences our obedience levels with 65% of ppts giving the full voltage of 450V when in a prestigious, unfamiliar environment
E - Not just down to personality and may include other factors