obedience: locus of control (personality affecting obedience)

Question 1

What factor is locus of control?

Answer 1

Personality factor

Question 2

What is meant by locus of control?

Answer 2

The locus of control is about the reasons people give for what happens to them. Rotter developed questionnaire to measure personality characteristics called locus of control.

Question 3

What is meant by internal locus of control?

Answer 3

Someone with an internal locus of control believes they are in control of their own actions and believes that what happens is something they have caused. Their life is determined by their own actions, decisions and efforts.

Question 4

What is meant by external locus of control?

Answer 4

Someone with an external locus of control believes that what happens to them comes from outside their control, so if they are in a stressful situation they feel helpless to do anything about it. Their life is determined by fate, luck, and external factors.

Question 5

What does this say about both external and internal locus of control?

Answer 5

‘Internals’ are more likely to show dissent and defy orders, whereas ‘externals’ are more likely to be obedient.

Question 6

Opposing evidence: Holland

Answer 6

Considered Milgram’s work and considered if it linked to a persons locus of control and found no link

Question 7

Different theories: Adorno

Answer 7

Developed the F-scale: those who scored highly of the scale were likely to have an authoritarian personality

Question 8

Supporting evidence: Blass

Answer 8

Blass looked at the same data Holland used and found a link between internal locus of control and resistance to obedience.

Question 9

Supporting evidence: Schurz

Answer 9

Found that those with an internal LOC felt more responsible for their actions.