Research with the Locus of Control Construct

1st Edition - July 28, 1981
Editor: Herbert M. Lefcourt
Language: English
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 1 - 4 8 3 2 - 7 0 4 1 - 8

Research with the Locus of Control Construct, Volume 1: Assessment Methods was created to serve two purposes. The first is to fill the researcher's need for information about the… Read more

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Research with the Locus of Control Construct, Volume 1: Assessment Methods was created to serve two purposes. The first is to fill the researcher's need for information about the application of appropriate locus of control scales to their particular purposes or samples. It presents a variety of locus of control scales and describes the relevant research and applications. The second purpose for this book involves the general field of personality psychology. Often personality constructs emerge, occupy center stage for the better part of a decade, and then almost silently disappear from view. By contrast, the locus of control construct has occupied a central position in personality research for a decade. The contributions to this volume represent some of the innovations that extend the utility of the locus of control construct to different areas of concern. It illustrates a simple principle—that a construct continues to be viable only as long as it continues to inspire innovations; if it remains static the construct will eventually disappear. This book is intended to provide information regarding new developments and to encourage new questions and applications that may allow the locus of control construct to outlive the brief life span that is common among personality constructs. It is assumed that the reader is already familiar with the basic literature on locus of control research.

1 Overview

Introduction

Early Assessment Devices for Measuring Locus of Control

New Developments in Scale Construction: Goal-Specific Measures

Special Characteristics in the Use of Locus of Control Scales

Other Conceptions Related to Locus of Control

Overview

References

I An Update on Early Research Programs

2 Differentiating among Internality, Powerful Others, and Chance

Conceptualization

Measurement

Empirical Work

Implications and Future Directions

Appendix A: I, P, and C Scales

References

II Disaggregation of the Control Variable by Outcome

3 Expectancies for Controllability, Performance Attributions, and Behavior

Introduction

Expectancies for Controllability

Performance Attributions

Consequences of Performance Attributions and/or Expectancies for Control

Conclusion

Appendix A: The Malevolent-Benevolent Questionnaire

Appendix B: Desirable-Undesirable Events Locus of Control Items

Appendix C: Rotter Internal-External Scale Items Corresponding to the Numbered Items in the Cluster Analysis

References

III Ongoing Research Programs Using Innovative Techniques

4 The Desired Control Measure and Adjustment among the Elderly

Introduction

Cognitive Social Learning Theory and Adjustment

Research Program

Initial Survey

Locus of Desired Control and Psychological Adjustment

Psychometric Properties of the Desired Control Measure

Desired Control—Short Form

Discussion and Summary

Appendix A: Desired Control Measure

References

5 Spheres of Control: an Interactions Approach to Assessment of Perceived Control

Introduction

Scale Development

The Nomological Network

Validity Studies

A Facet Analysis of Perceived Control

Appendix A: Spheres of Control Battery Items

References

6 Health Locus of Control Scales

Introduction

Development of the Health Locus of Control Scales

Alternative Measures

Normative Data

Scale Properties

How to Use the MHLC Scales

Research Done with HLC and MHLC Scales

Locus of Control as a Dependent Variable

Correlations with Other Scales

Health Locus of Control as an Independent Variable

Conclusions

Implications for Future Research

Appendix A: Situational Inventory (Example)

References

7 The Construction and Development of the Multidimensional-Multiattributional Causality Scales

Introduction

A Description of the MMCS

Validity Research with the MMCS

Discussion

Summary

Appendix A: MMCS Items Grouped according to Goal-Specific Subscales

References

IV Applications to Clinical Problems

8 Measuring Beliefs about Where Psychological Pain Originates and Who is Responsible for Its Alleviation: Two New Scales for Clinical Researchers

The Need for Two Scales

The Study

Discussion

Appendix A: The MHLC Questionnaire

Appendix B: The MHLO Questionnaire

References

9 The Measurement of Locus of Control among Alcoholics

Summary Aspects

Background Considerations

The Alcoholic Responsibility Scale Method of Development

Procedure

Results and Discussion

References

V Other Approaches to the Study of Control

10 Personal Causation and Locus of Control: Two Different Traditions and Two Uncorrelated Measures

Introduction

Descriptions of the Origin Measure

Comparison of Origin Scores and Locus of Control of Reinforcement

Origin Scores and the Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Questionnaire

Summary

References

11 The Construct of Engagement Style: Theory and Research

A History of the Construct of Engagement Style

A Measure of the Construct of Engagement Style

Research on the Construct of Engagement Style

Summary

References

12 Epilog

Subject Index