The document discusses locus of control, which refers to whether individuals believe they have control over the events in their lives (internal locus of control) or whether external factors like luck or fate determine what happens (external locus of control). It presents several pairs of statements that relate to different life situations and whether the individual has control or not. Scoring higher indicates an external locus of control, while a lower score relates to an internal locus of control. The document also provides tips for developing a more internal locus of control orientation.
2. 1.
• 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 with them.
3. 2.
• 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.
4. 3.
• a.) One of the major reasons why we have
wars is because people don't take enough
interest in poitics.
• b.) There will always be wars, no matter how
hard people try to prevent them
5. 4.
• a. ) In the long run people get the respect they
deserve in this world
• b.) Unfortunately, an individual's worth often
passes unrecognized no matter how hard he
tries
6. 5.
• a. ) The idea that teachers are unfair to
students is nonsense.
• b. ) Most students don't realize the extent to
which their grades are influenced by
accidental happenings.
7. 6.
• a.) Without the right breaks one cannot be an
effective leader.
• b.) Capable people who fail to become leaders
hive not taken advantage of their
opportunities.
8. 7.
• a.) No matter how hard you try some people
just don't like you.
• b.) People who can't get others to like them
don't understand how to get along with
others.
9. 8.
• a.) Heredity plays the major role in
determining one's personality
• b.) It is one's experiences in life which
determine what they're like.
10. 9.
• a.) I have often found that what is going to
happen will happen.
• b.) Trusting to fate has never turned out as
well for me as making a decision to take a
definite course of action.
11. 10.
• a.) In the case of the well prepared student
there is rarely if ever such a thing as an unfair
test.
• b.) Many times exam questions tend to be so
unrelated to course work that studying in
really useless.
12. 11.
• a.) Becoming a success is a matter of hard
work, luck has little or nothing to do with it.
• b.) Getting a good job depends mainly on
being in the right place at the right time.
13. 12.
• a.) The average citizen can have an influence
in government decisions.
• b.) This world is run by the few people in
power, and there is not much the little guy can
do about it.
14. 13.
• a.) When I make plans, I am almost certain
that I can make them work.
• b.) It is not always wise to plan too far ahead
because many things turn out to- be a matter
of good or bad fortune anyhow.
15. 14.
• a.) There are certain people who are just no
good.
• b.) There is some good in everybody.
16. 15.
• a.) In my case getting what I want has little or
nothing to do with luck.
• b.) Many times we might just as well decide
what to do by flipping a coin.
17. 16.
• a.) Who gets to be the boss often depends on
who was lucky enough to be in the right place
first.
• b.) Getting people to do the right thing depends
upon ability. Luck has little or nothing to do with
it.
18. 17.
• a.) As far as world affairs are concerned, most
of us are the victims of forces we can neither
understand, nor control.
• b.) By taking an active part in political and
social affairs the people can control world
events.
19. 18.
• a.) Most people don't realize the extent to
which their lives are controlled by accidental
happenings.
• b.) There really is no such thing as "luck."
20. 19.
• a.) One should always be willing to admit
mistakes.
• b.) It is usually best to cover up one's
mistakes.
21. 20.
• a.) It is hard to know whether or not a person
really likes you.
• b.) How many friends you have depends upon
how nice a person you are.
22. 21.
• a.) In the long run the bad things that happen
to us are balanced by the good ones.
• b.) Most misfortunes are the result of lack of
ability, ignorance, laziness, or all three.
23. 22.
• a.) With enough effort we can wipe out
political corruption.
• b.) It is difficult for people to have much
control over the things politicians do in office.
24. 23.
• a.) Sometimes I can't understand how
teachers arrive at the grades they give.
• b.) There is a direct connection between how
hard 1 study and the grades I get.
25. 24.
• a.) A good leader expects people to decide for
themselves what they should do.
• b.) A good leader makes it clear to everybody
what their jobs are.
26. 25.
• a.) Many times I feel that I have little influence
over the things that happen to me.
• b.) It is impossible for me to believe that
chance or luck plays an important role in my
life.
27. 26.
• a.) People are lonely because they don't try to
be friendly.
• b.) There's not much use in trying too hard to
please people, if they like you, they like you.
28. 27.
• a.) There is too much emphasis on athletics in
high school.
• b.) Team sports are an excellent way to build
character.
29. 28.
• a.) What happens to me is my own doing.
• b.) Sometimes I feel that I don't have enough
control over the direction my life is taking.
30. 29.
• a.) Most of the time I can't understand why
politicians behave the way they do.
• b.) In the long run the people are responsible
for bad government on a national as well as
on a local level.
31. Score one point for each of the
following:
2. a, 3.b, 4.b, 5.b, 6.a,
7.a, 9.a, 10.b, 11.b, 12.b,
13.b, 15.b, 16.a, 17.a, 18.a,
20.a, 21. a, 22.b, 23.a, 25.a,
26.b, 28.b, 29.a.
32. Total possible score range - 0 to 23
• A high score = External Locus of Control
• A low score = Internal Locus of Control
33. External Locus of Control
Individual believes that
his/her behaviour is guided by
fate, luck, or other external
circumstances
Internal Locus of Control
Individual believes that
his/her behaviour is guided by
his/her personal decisions and
efforts.
34. • Locus of control is a psychological term first
coined by Julian B. Rotter in 1954
• It refers to how much individuals believe they
can control events that affect them.
• Psychologists believe it's an essential element
of all of our personalities.
35. If you have a primarily external locus
of control, you're more likely to:
• Believe luck, chance and/or fate decides what
happens to you.
• Be negative and give up more easily when
setbacks.
• Not reach out to create new relationships or
try to repair old ones.
• Feel more helpless when faced with stress or
illness
36. An internal locus of control, on the
other hand, causes you to be:
• Think you're responsible for your success and
failure
• Less prone to anxiety and depression
• More independent and achievement-oriented
• More health-conscious
39. Tips for Developing an Internal Locus of Control
• Recognize the basic fact that you always have
a choice. Making no choice is actually a choice
in and of itself, and it's your choice to allow
other people or events decide for you.
• Set goals for yourself and note how, by
working towards these and achieving these,
you are controlling what happens in your life.
As you do this, you'll find that your self-
confidence quickly builds.
40. • Develop your decision making and problem solving
skills so that you can feel more confident, and in
control of what happens. With these tools, you'll find
that you can understand and navigate through
situations that would otherwise damage you.
• Pay attention to your self-talk. When you hear yourself
saying things like, "I have no choice" or "There's
nothing I can do", step back and remind yourself that
you do, in fact, have some degree of control. It's your
choice whether you exercise it or not.