Modification of locus of control: Using the RSI technique in the schools

The importance of Rotter's concept of locus of control is discussed and its educational implications outlined. A procedure involving relaxation, suggestion, and imagery (RSI) is described and its use in modifying perception of locus of control postulated. This hypothesis is tested in a study with 36 final-year secondary school students who were paired according to their scores on Rotter's I-E (internal-external) scale. Members of each pair were allocated at random to either an experimental group, which experienced three half-hour RSI sessions distributed over a 3-week period, or a control group which spent the same amount of time in discussing ways of modifying locus of control. Immediate posttreatment administration of the I-E scale indicated a definite shift toward increased internal control by subjects of both groups, with the experimental group's scores being significantly better. A further administration of the I-E scale after 12 months confirmed that this superiority had been maintained.     

The Relationship of Locus of Control and Metacognitive Knowledge of Math with Math Achievements

The purpose of the research was to examine the correlation between locus of control and metacognitive knowledge in math and math achievement among students with learning disabilities. We examined 30 eighth grade pupils with learning disabilities and 30 other pupils all of whom studied in a heterogeneous class in a public school in order to better understand the extent to which the variables: metacognitive knowledge, locus of control and achievement in math differed in the two populations. The pupils answered three questionnaires: the first was designed to study the locus of control, the second, to investigate metacognitive knowledge and the third, to measure math achievement. The findings of this study indicate that the higher the level of the internal locus of control, the higher the use of metacognitive knowledge. Furthermore, higher levels of internal locus of control and higher use of metacognitive knowledge resulted in increased math achievement.     

内在知觉的主体与外在知觉的对象——关于“知觉二元论”的思考

文章在肯定"知觉二元论"之主旨的同时,思考了一些进一步的问题.认为内在知觉的主体只能是脑本身,脑有觉知自身状态的性能;物理事件乃是外在知觉的意向对象.     

Interaction between locus of control and three pacing procedures in a personalized system of instruction course

This study examined the interaction effects of three pacing procedures and perception of locus of control on student final examination performance in a PSI course. College students identified by the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale as expecting external reinforcement performed better under the reward and control conditions, and those identified as expecting internal reinforcement did better under the penalty condition. Student anxiety was postulated as having been a factor affecting performance. The author thanks Richard L. Tate for his helpful comments on earlier drafts of this article. Thanks are also extended to Richard R. Lee, Frances S. Holley, Jane C. Wager, and Dee H. Andrews for their assistance in conducting the study reported here.     

Teacher locus of control and classroom climate: A cross-lagged correlational study

The Locus of Control Scale for Teachers was given to 13 middle school teachers, and the Origin-Climate Questionnaire was given to 78 of their students. Results indicated a moderate relationship between teachers' locus of control and students' perception of classroom climate. The difference between the cross-lagged correlations suggested that teachers' locus of control has a causal impact on classroom climate.     

大学生学绩公平感状况的调查与分析——以南昌高校为例

目的探讨大学生学绩公平感和心理控制源的关系。方法使用Jason.A.Colquitt编制的测量公平感的问卷和内在——外在心理控制源量表（I-E Scale）对250名南昌某大学在校本科生进行调查。结果①大学生在学绩公平感问卷与心理控制源量表的得分存在显著负相关（t=-0.276,p〈0.01）;②在学绩公平感的各维度上,程序公平感、结果公平感与心理控制源分别呈显著负相关（t=-0.253,p〈0.01;t=-0.136,p〈0.05）;③不同的学绩公平感水平与心理控制源存在显著差异（F=9.329,P〈0.01）。结论①当前大学生的学绩公平感处于中等水平,心理控制源的水平更倾向于内控;②大学生学绩公平感及＂程序公平＂维度、＂结果公平＂维度与心理控制源存在显著相关;③学绩公平感高分者和低分者在心理控制源的得分上差异显著。     

自助者，天助也——朱利安·罗特的控制点理论

美国心理学家朱利安·罗特（Julian Rotter）的控制点理论告诉我们,人的命运其实是靠自己控制的。与其他人格变量一样,控制点是一个连续体。它的一端是外控,另一端是内控。大多数人都是落在这个连续体的某一点上,同时体现出不同程度的内控与外控。成功人士的控制点往往在内部,而一般人士的控制点往往在外部。人自助,天才会助之,要想在学业方面乃至之后的人生历程中取得成功,就要学会合理归因,就要比别人付出更多的努力。从罗特的控制点出发,如果通过一些合理性的引导,所有人都可以成为内控的成功者。教育者需要结合不同的教育方式,逐渐转变学生的控制信念,使他们能形成内控为主导的,内外控平衡的合理控制结构。     

The Effects of Two Models of Staff Development on Self-Awareness and Attitudes of Teachers with Internal vs. External Locus of Control

This study investigated the effects of two staff development models–role playing and open instruction–on the self-awareness and attitudes of teachers with internal vs. external locus of control. In a 2 x 2 design for analysis of variance, 27 composition teachers were randomly assigned, and subsequently stratified by locus of control scores, to two parallel but contrasting summer workshop programs to test the following hypotheses: teachers in the role-playing group would be more self-aware and have more positive attitudes toward inservice education than would teachers in the open instruction group; teachers of internal locus of control would be more self-aware and have more positive attitudes toward inservice education than would teachers of external locus of control. Significant correlations were found between the instructor in the roleplaying group but not in the open instruction group with regard to self-awareness. No significant differences were found between treatment groups with regard to attitudes toward inservice education; however, significant differences were found with respect to locus of control on all three scales, specifically teachers of internal locus of control showed significantly more positive attitudes toward inservice education than teachers with external locus of control. In addition there was a significant treatment x locus of control interaction.     

Perceived contingency of teacher administered reinforcements and academic performance of boys

To determine the relationships among perceived contingency of teacher administered reinforcements, locus of control, and academic achievement, 49 sixth-grade boys were studied. In general, subjects who perceived their teachers as contingently punitive to boys were internal in locus of control and performed well on measures of academic achievement. An internal locus of control was also predictive of academic achievement. Perceived contingency of teacher rewards was not related to locus of control or academic achievement. These results were discussed as supporting the identity of learned helplessness and locus of control and the Seligman, Maier, and Solomon (1971) theory of learned helplessness.     

Effect of instructional procedure and pupil locus of control on achievement and attitudes

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of instructional procedures differing in degree of student control on achievement and attitudes of pupils identified as having an internal or external locus of control. Two sixth-grade classes (N=47) were divided into internal and external locus of control groups. Half of the internals and externals in each class were randomly assigned a structured instructional procedure and half assigned a contract procedure. A two-week unit on nutrition was taught to all students, using a structured or contract method. There were no significant differences in achievement among any of the groups. However, the internal-contract group seemed to show a more positive attitude toward the unit than did the other three groups. These results suggest that instructional procedure may not differentially affect achievement of internal and external sixth graders over a short period, but that attitudes toward instruction may be affected.     

Locus of control and achievement motivation-critical factors in educational psychology

The purpose of this paper is to examine the implications of research on locus of control and achievement motivation for the practicing educational psychologist. The relation to learning and the implications for psychological evaluation of each construct are discussed. It is suggested that locus of control and achievement motivation influence the ways in which a child approaches school-related tasks, interprets the outcome of tasks, selects tasks, and persists in activities.     

Effects of locus of control on behavioral intention and learning performance of energy knowledge in game-based learning

Game-based learning has been gradually adopted in energy education as an effective learning tool because digital games have the potential to increase energy literacy and encourage behavior change. However, not every learner can benefit from this support. There is a need to examine how human factors affect learners’ reactions to digital games for supporting learning. This study addresses this issue by developing a digital educational game and examining the effects of locus of control on behavioral intention and learning performance of energy knowledge in game-based learning. The results demonstrated that learners with internal locus of control (ILC) outperformed external locus of control (ELC) learners in energy knowledge after interacting with the game. Moreover, the proposed game can reasonably reduce the differences in the behavioral intention of the ILC and ELC learners, indicating that ELC learners significantly improved their behavioral intention after playing the game, especially their external behavioral intention in the aspects of persuasion, legal action, and political action. The findings of this study are discussed to enhance the understanding of locus of control on behavioral intention and energy knowledge in the context of digital games.     

Guidelines for Citizen Action

Abstract

This paper summarizes the perceptions and behaviors regarding environmental issues of five discrete and separate groups/populations. Assessments were made to determine the difference in perceptions held by these groups between issues of greatest importance to mankind, issues of greatest personal interest, and a control issue (noise pollution) with respect to perceived levels of: importance to mankind, information held, individual locus of control, group locus of control, and self-reported environmental actions (behaviors). Findings suggest that academically oriented/environmentally allied groups perceive overpopulation as the most important issue to mankind. Further, groups with environmentally allied characteristics perceive the most important environmental issues facing mankind with a greater degree of within-group homogeneity than the groups consisting of individuals that have few environmentally allied similarities. When comparisons on the data for the variables across issues of greatest interest and a control issue were examined, it is apparent that interest in an issue was related to higher perceived levels of information, perceived importance, a more internal individual locus of control, a more internal group locus of control, and higher levels of reported citizenship action.     

Sex,race, and grade differences in the locus of control orientations of at-risk elementary students

Extensive educational efforts recently have been focused on the plight of the at-risk student. A multitude of variables contribute to a depressed likelihood of academic success; among these are poor academic preparation, lack of parental support, and several personality factors such as lowered self-concept, motivation, and confidence. One variable that has not been examined systematically in regard to the at-risk student is locus of control orientation. Two decades of research support the positive relationship of internal locus of control and achievement. To investigate this variable, 643 elementary school students were included in a 2 × 2 × 2 × 6 analysis of variance design. No main effects for sex or race were found. A significant main effect for conditions (at-risk vs. not-at-risk) was observed, with the at-risk students being more externally oriented. In addition, a significant effect for grade was noted, with the trend being for grade (age) to be positively related to internality. The importance of developing a program aimed at enhancing internal locus of control and its nature are discussed.     

An Investigation of the Joint Influence of Faculty Control and Student Locus of Reinforcement on Instructional Evaluation

Abstract

This research was based on the theoretical belief that student evaluations of faculty teaching are related to the person-environment congruence between students’ locus of reinforcement and the degree of control exercised by faculty instructional styles. Fifty-seven college students were classified as internally or externally reinforced based on Rotter’s locus of reinforcement theory. Students evaluated high and low faculty control instructional styles by rating daily seven classroom evaluative questions on a five-point differential scale. It was hypothesized that the evaluation of instruction by students experiencing congruent control styles (internal students/low control and external students/high control) would be more positive than incongruent combinations (external students low control and internal students/high control). ANOVA results yielded a significant 937’value p <.01) for interaction effects which supported the research hypothesis. Implications for student evaluation of faculty teaching are discussed.     

A new multidimensional measure of children's perceptions of control

Perceived control plays a central role in many motivational and cognitive accounts of behavior. In this study, a new 48-item self-report instrument, the Multidimensional Measure of Children's Perceptions of Control, is described. Perceptions of control are defined as children's understanding of the locus of the sufficient cause for success and failure outcomes. 3 dimensions of third- through ninth-grade children's perceptions of control are independently assessed: internal, powerful others, and unknown. Each of these sources of control is assessed within 3 behavioral domains: cognitive, social, and physical. General items are also included. Perceptions of control over success outcomes and failure outcomes are assessed separately. The psychometric properties of the new measure's subscales are presented. Correlations of the new measure with measures of perceived and actual competence and findings demonstrating the sensitivity of the new measure to developmental, gender, and environmental influences are reported. It is argued that the new measure is an advance over existing measures of internal versus external locus of control in children because it provides domain-specific assessments of 3 separate dimensions of locus of control, including the previously untapped dimension of unknown control.     

The effects of instructional organization and locus of control orientation on meaningful learning in high school biology students

This study investigated the effects on meaningful learning achievement of concept-related instructional organization and locus of control orientation. Two five-week instructional treatments were developed, one which explicitly stressed concept relationships and one which did not. Five hundred and forty-one subjects at six Indiana high schools were involved in the study. Analyses of covariance of posttest and six-week retention test scores with treatment as the independent variable showed no significant treatment effect. Analyses of variance of test scores with locus of control orientation as the independent variable resulted in highly statistically significant differences. Subjects with an internal locus of control orientation achieved more than externally oriented subjects. A two-way analysis of covariance by treatment and locus of control orientation resulted in a statistically significant treatment/locus of control interaction effect for retention test scores. Externally oriented subjects who were exposed to the concept-related treatment generally retained more than those in the comparison group. Internally oriented subjects retained about the same amount of information regardless of treatment group. When the male and female subjects were analyzed separately, the interaction effect appeared greater for females than for males.     

A survey of practices of teachers of the gifted

The purpose of this study was to examine the self‐concepts, locus of control, and machi‐avellianism of 169 ethnically diverse middle grade students identified as gifted. Subjects consisted of 90 African‐American (31 boys, 18 girls). Self‐concept, locus of control, and machiavellianism were assessed by Me: A Self‐Concept Scale for Gifted Children (Feldhusen &; Kolloff, 1981), the Nowicki‐Strickland Locus of Control Scale (Nowicki &; Strickland, 1973), and Mach IV Scale (Christie &; Geis, 1970) respectively. A three‐way analysis of variance (group × Gender × Grade) on subjects’ scores revealed significant group differences in self‐concept. No significant gender or grade differences were found in self‐concept. No significant group, gender, or grade differences were found in locus of control and machiavellianism. Self‐concept was significantly and positively correlated with internal locus of control and with low machiavellianism. Mean scores indicated that ethnically diverse students who are gifted had positive self‐concepts, internal locus of control, and were low machiavellians.     

Locus of control and self-concept in achieving and underachieving bright elementary students

This study examined a group of academically bright fourth-grade children for positive relationships of academic achievement with locus of control and self-concept. Twenty achievers and nine underachievers received the Interllectual Achievement Responsibility Questionnaire (IAR) and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. Two-factor ANOVAs were used to examine the self-concept and locus of control scores, with sex and achievement serving as the two independent factors. The results showed that achievers had significantly higher self-concepts than underachievers on the intellectual and school status subscale. In addition, achievers had significantly higher internal locus of control scores than underachievers for the IAR total score and the IAR positive score. No sex differences were revealed for either self-concept or locus of control. Implications of these results are discussed briefly.     

The effects of internal feedback and self-compassion on the perception of negative feedback and post-feedback learning behavior

Negative feedback confronts learners with errors or failure but holds great learning potential. However, learners might perceive it as self-threatening, and thus react maladaptively. Feedback theories recommend prompting internal feedback prior to external feedback. And self-compassion is found to support adaptive reactions to failure. Thus, this study examined in a 2 × 2 factorial design the effects of prompting internal feedback or self-compassion, or both, on feedback perception and post-feedback learning behavior. Participants (N = 210) completed a brief difficult reasoning test and received failure feedback. Perceived acceptance and fairness of the feedback were higher in the internal feedback and self-compassion conditions compared to the control condition with no prompts. The intervention effects were higher for participants with high perceived competence and low trait self-compassion. No significant effects on post-feedback learning behavior were observed. The results highlight the relevance of internal feedback processes for feedback perception.