Locus of Control - Revision history

Nhallinen at 13:48, 26 March 2009

2009-03-26T13:48:30Z

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	** WORK IN PROGRESS - This page is currently under construction.


	Locus of Control is a psychological phenomenon that was first identified in the mid-1900s by the American psychologist Julian Rotter. Locus of Control describes the degree to which an individual believes his or her actions cause various outcomes. This article will provide a brief historical summary of the definition of Locus of Control, an outline of measures used to quantify the degree to which a particular individual is characterized by an internal or external Locus of Control, its applications in formal and informal learning environments, and possible relationships between Locus of Control and several other motivational constructs.		Locus of Control is a psychological phenomenon that was first identified in the mid-1900s by the American psychologist Julian Rotter. Locus of Control describes the degree to which an individual believes his or her actions cause various outcomes. This article will provide a brief historical summary of the definition of Locus of Control, an outline of measures used to quantify the degree to which a particular individual is characterized by an internal or external Locus of Control, its applications in formal and informal learning environments, and possible relationships between Locus of Control and several other motivational constructs.

Nhallinen: /* Relationships to Other Motivational Constructs */

2009-03-26T13:48:09Z

Relationships to Other Motivational Constructs

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	As Shell & Husman (2008) remark in their large-scale study of motivation, "Control and other motivational constructs are psychologically hierarchical." Thus, it follows that various motivational concepts may be related to Locus of Control.		As Shell & Husman (2008) remark in their large-scale study of motivation, "Control and other motivational constructs are psychologically hierarchical." Thus, it follows that various motivational concepts may be related to Locus of Control.

	Some ~~of this~~ connections might be with:		Some connections might be with:
	* '''Expectancy Value Theory'''		* '''Expectancy Value Theory'''

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	* '''[[Self-Determination]] Theory'''		* '''[[Self-Determination]] Theory'''

			* '''[[Achievement Goals]]''': As shown in Shell & Husman, certain ends of the Locus of Control spectrum may typify Performance or Mastery goal orientations.

	* '''Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation'''		* '''Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation'''

Nhallinen: /* Control and Self-Regulation Strategies */

2009-03-26T13:44:44Z

Control and Self-Regulation Strategies

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	=== Control and Self-Regulation Strategies ===		=== Control and Self-Regulation Strategies ===
	In a study of 397 undergraduates, Shell & Husman (2008) obtained multiple motivational measures including control (labeled as either “internal” or “external”), goal orientation, and self-regulation.		In a study of 397 undergraduates, Shell & Husman (2008) obtained multiple motivational measures including control (labeled as either “internal” or “external”), goal orientation, and self-regulation.

			'''Measures'''

	In this study, “control” was a comprehensive construct that included self-efficacy and expectancy for success measures in addition to typical locus of control questions. "Control" was also conceptualized as concerning ''Future time perspective (FTP)'', which the authors define as "a person's conceptualization of the future and connection to that future" (Shell & Husman, 2008).		In this study, “control” was a comprehensive construct that included self-efficacy and expectancy for success measures in addition to typical locus of control questions. "Control" was also conceptualized as concerning ''Future time perspective (FTP)'', which the authors define as "a person's conceptualization of the future and connection to that future" (Shell & Husman, 2008).
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	Goal orientation (see [[Achievement Goals]]) included performance and mastery orientations and measured approach and avoidance patterns. Self-regulation strategies were measured with a self-report questionnaire in which participants were asked to rate items like their time spent studying and qualitative features of that studying.		Goal orientation (see [[Achievement Goals]]) included performance and mastery orientations and measured approach and avoidance patterns. Self-regulation strategies were measured with a self-report questionnaire in which participants were asked to rate items like their time spent studying and qualitative features of that studying.

			'''Results'''

	Shell & Husman analyzed the self-regulation and goal orientation participant self-reported data as a function of students’ control data and found three characteristic patterns:		Shell & Husman analyzed the self-regulation and goal orientation participant self-reported data as a function of students’ control data and found three characteristic patterns:

Nhallinen: /* Control and Self-Regulation Strategies */

2009-03-26T13:44:15Z

Control and Self-Regulation Strategies

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	=== Control and Self-Regulation Strategies ===		=== Control and Self-Regulation Strategies ===
	In a study of 397 undergraduates, Shell & Husman (2008) obtained multiple motivational measures including control (labeled as either “internal” or “external”), goal orientation, and self-regulation. In this study, “control” was a comprehensive construct that included self-efficacy and expectancy for success measures in addition to typical locus of control questions. "Control" was also conceptualized as concerning ''Future time perspective (FTP)'', which the authors define as "a person's conceptualization of the future and connection to that future" (Shell & Husman, 2008).		In a study of 397 undergraduates, Shell & Husman (2008) obtained multiple motivational measures including control (labeled as either “internal” or “external”), goal orientation, and self-regulation.

			In this study, “control” was a comprehensive construct that included self-efficacy and expectancy for success measures in addition to typical locus of control questions. "Control" was also conceptualized as concerning ''Future time perspective (FTP)'', which the authors define as "a person's conceptualization of the future and connection to that future" (Shell & Husman, 2008).

			Goal orientation (see [[Achievement Goals]]) included performance and mastery orientations and measured approach and avoidance patterns. Self-regulation strategies were measured with a self-report questionnaire in which participants were asked to rate items like their time spent studying and qualitative features of that studying.


	Shell & Husman analyzed the self-regulation and goal orientation participant self-reported data as a function of students’ control data and found three characteristic patterns:		Shell & Husman analyzed the self-regulation and goal orientation participant self-reported data as a function of students’ control data and found three characteristic patterns:

Nhallinen: /* Relationships to Other Motivational Constructs */

2009-03-26T13:40:22Z

Relationships to Other Motivational Constructs

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	* '''Expectancy Value Theory'''		* '''Expectancy Value Theory'''

	* '''Attribution Theory'''		* '''Attribution Theory''': Locus of Control is often considered one of the causal dimensions of Attribution Theory, guiding a person's attributions by placing responsibility internally on the individual or externally on others or the environment (Weiner, 1992). An inconsistent Locus of Control may be the foundation for several Attributional Biases, such as the Self-Serving Bias.

	* '''Learned Helplessness''', a characteristic behavior and thought pattern proposed within Attribution Theory that Schunk, Pintrich, & Meece (2008) operationalize as the "Perception of no relationship between behaviors and outcomes." Certainly, Learned Helplessness is one manifestation of an External Locus of Control and other affective and goal-perception patterns.		* '''Learned Helplessness''', a characteristic behavior and thought pattern proposed within Attribution Theory that Schunk, Pintrich, & Meece (2008) operationalize as the "Perception of no relationship between behaviors and outcomes." Certainly, Learned Helplessness is one manifestation of an External Locus of Control and other affective and goal-perception patterns.

Nhallinen: /* Control and Incidental Course Knowledge */

2009-03-26T13:33:22Z

Control and Incidental Course Knowledge

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	'''Measures'''		'''Measures'''

	In the first two studies, "the questionnaire included 6 items patterned closely after several of the commonly used IE scales, using a 1-5 (strongly disagree to strongly agree) Likert scale where high scores indicate internality:		In the first two studies, "the questionnaire included 6 items patterned closely after several of the commonly used IE scales, using a 1-5 (strongly disagree to strongly agree) Likert scale where high scores indicate internality:

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	'''Results'''		'''Results'''

	Internals and Externals (greater than one standard deviation from the mean) performed significantly differently on the trivia scale: Internals performed better, but the effect size was not very large, as they received an average of 64% on the trivia measure while Externals received an average score of 52%.		Internals and Externals (greater than one standard deviation from the mean) performed significantly differently on the trivia scale: Internals performed better, but the effect size was not very large, as they received an average of 64% on the trivia measure while Externals received an average score of 52%.

Nhallinen: /* Control and Incidental Course Knowledge */

2009-03-26T13:33:04Z

Control and Incidental Course Knowledge

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 == Educational Applications ==
 === Control and Incidental Course Knowledge ===
 === Control and Self-Regulation Strategies ===

Nhallinen: /* Relationships to Other Motivational Constructs */

2009-03-26T13:16:01Z

Relationships to Other Motivational Constructs

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	Some of this connections might be with:		Some of this connections might be with:
	* Expectancy Value Theory		* '''Expectancy Value Theory'''

	* Attribution Theory		* '''Attribution Theory'''

	* '''Learned Helplessness''', a characteristic behavior and thought pattern proposed within Attribution Theory that Schunk, Pintrich, & Meece (2008) operationalize as the "Perception of no relationship between behaviors and outcomes." Certainly, Learned Helplessness is one manifestation of an External Locus of Control and other affective and goal-perception patterns.		* '''Learned Helplessness''', a characteristic behavior and thought pattern proposed within Attribution Theory that Schunk, Pintrich, & Meece (2008) operationalize as the "Perception of no relationship between behaviors and outcomes." Certainly, Learned Helplessness is one manifestation of an External Locus of Control and other affective and goal-perception patterns.

	* [[Self-Determination]] Theory		* '''[[Self-Determination]] Theory'''

	* Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation		* '''Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation'''

	== References ==		== References ==

Nhallinen: /* Relationships to Other Motivational Constructs */

2009-03-26T13:15:32Z

Relationships to Other Motivational Constructs

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	== Relationships to Other Motivational Constructs ==		== Relationships to Other Motivational Constructs ==
	* Learned Helplessness		As Shell & Husman (2008) remark in their large-scale study of motivation, "Control and other motivational constructs are psychologically hierarchical." Thus, it follows that various motivational concepts may be related to Locus of Control.

			Some of this connections might be with:
	* Expectancy Value Theory		* Expectancy Value Theory

	* Attribution Theory		* Attribution Theory

			* '''Learned Helplessness''', a characteristic behavior and thought pattern proposed within Attribution Theory that Schunk, Pintrich, & Meece (2008) operationalize as the "Perception of no relationship between behaviors and outcomes." Certainly, Learned Helplessness is one manifestation of an External Locus of Control and other affective and goal-perception patterns.

			* [[Self-Determination]] Theory

	* Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation		* Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

Nhallinen: /* Control and Self-Regulation Strategies */

2009-03-26T13:08:04Z

Control and Self-Regulation Strategies

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:08, 26 March 2009
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	2. Lack of self-regulation strategies, high external control, high affect and anxiety, work avoidance goals: Learned Helplessness		2. Lack of self-regulation strategies, high external control, high affect and anxiety, work avoidance goals: Learned Helplessness

	3. High control with high mastery-goal orientation but without explicit self-regulation strategies: intrinsically motivated, knowledge-building student as described in [[Self-Determination ~~Theory~~]]		3. High control with high mastery-goal orientation but without explicit self-regulation strategies: intrinsically motivated, knowledge-building student as described in [[Self-Determination]] Theory.

	In fact, Shell & Husman (2008) employs many different motivational measures and may therefore be relevant to many other research topics, particularly those that attempt to construct a holistic approach to studying motivation in students.		In fact, Shell & Husman (2008) employs many different motivational measures and may therefore be relevant to many other research topics, particularly those that attempt to construct a holistic approach to studying motivation in students.